Reports

Joint workshop on new European Directive 2010/63/EU

On the 3rd November 2010 the Society of Biology, the Home Office and Universities UK held a joint meeting in London. The meeting focused on the new European Directive 2010/63/EU and its implications for the UK relating to the use of animals in scientific procedures.

Animal research is presently regulated in the UK under the authority of the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986. The new European Directive makes a number of important provisions on animal welfare, responsibilities, reporting, training and other issues that need to be discussed, as well as seeking a way to move the EU proposals forward and incorporate these into the UK legislative framework.

The meeting was well attended by delegates from all parts of the UK and focussed around the five main themes of the revised Directive. Five speakers provided a short expert briefing pertaining to their specialist topic and related the existing framework to how this may differ after the introduction of the new EU Directive into UK legislation. Attendees were then allocated to three out of five groups to discuss each specialist topic further, and to provide advice, opinion and guidance as to how the new arrangements may be incorporated into UK legislation. Each group had approximately one hour’s general discussion followed by a group spokesperson presenting a short analysis of their debates.

The attached douments detail the proceedings under the five headings:

Project Authorisation and Severity: Presentation and Report

National Animal Welfare Committee: Presentation and Report

IT Provision: Presentation and Report

Animal Welfare Bodies: Presentation and Report, and

Training and Competence: Presentation and Report

The proceedings from the meeting will contribute to the consultation process. A separate public consultation will be issued in the early part of 2011 for three months.