Paving the way for a Future without Animal Testing: EPAA 20th Anniversary

Twenty years ago, the European Partnership on Alternative Approaches to Animal Testing (EPAA) began as a 'bold experiment' - a Commission-industry partnership focused on replacing animal testing with innovative, science-based alternatives.

Today, it became a European success story: proof that we can align innovation, industrial competitiveness, and ethical responsibility. EPAA has shown that regulatory ambition and industrial innovation can be complementary. They can reinforce each other. By building trust across sectors, fostering scientific excellence, and championing the 3Rs - the principle of replacement, reduction, and refinement of animal use in testing - EPAA has helped bring animal-free methods into the regulatory mainstream.

This is evident in chemical safety assessments and in one of Europe's proudest achievements: the complete ban on animal testing for cosmetics, which has inspired action worldwide. As we implement the European Commission's roadmap to phase out animal testing for chemical safety assessments, the EPAA's experience will be indispensable. EPAA has created not only a knowledge base but a community - one capable of delivering smarter, safer, and more sustainable solutions for Europe.