Animal Experimentation and Animal Welfare in the Context of the European Union: Reflections on the Directive 2010/63/EU and Its Transposition in Italy

Abstract

Directive 2010/63/EU on the Protection of Animals used for Scientific Purposes – which replaces the former Directive 86/609/EEC – provides a common framework on animal testing in the European Union. Its adoption raised a fierce debate in European countries and in particular in Italy between opponents and supporters to experiments on animals. This paper, after an analysis of the content of the Directive, aims to analyse issues concerning its transposition in Italy, which took place through the Legislative Decree No. 26 of 4 March 2014.