Save Cruelty Free Cosmetics - Commit to a Europe without Animal Testing

"Save Cruelty Free Cosmetics – Commit to a Europe Without Animal Testing" is the 9th successful European Citizens’ Initiative (ECI), calling on the European Commission to take decisive action to end animal testing for scientific research, regulatory testing and educational purposes.

Registered on 30 June 2021, "Save Cruelty Free Cosmetics" swiftly gained public support. The campaign officially launched its signature collection on 31 August 2021 and achieved a remarkable milestone by gathering 1,217,916 verified statements of support. Minimum thresholds were met in 21 Member States, demonstrating strong and widespread backing across the EU.

The objectives of the initiative included:

• Protect and strengthen the ban on cosmetics animal testing: initiate legislative change to achieve consumer, worker, and environmental protection for all cosmetics ingredients without testing on animals for any purpose at any time
• Transform EU chemicals legislation: ensure that human health and the environment are protected by managing chemicals without the addition of new animal testing requirements
• Modernise science in the EU: commit to issuing a legislative proposal plotting a roadmap to phase out all animal testing in the EU before the end of the current legislative term

Following the verification process, the initiative was formally submitted to the European Commission on 25 January 2023 (Press Announcement). The Commission responded by publishing a Communication outlining its position on 25 July 2023, marking a crucial step in the ongoing efforts to replace animal testing with humane and scientifically advanced alternatives across the EU.

"Save Cruelty Free Cosmetics" not only met but exceeded all targets, gathering over 1.2 million signatures and reaching the minimum thresholds in a record-breaking 21 Member States—far surpassing the requirements of 1 million signatures and thresholds in at least 7 countries. According to its organisers, three key factors contributed to this success:

Strategic preparation

Developing a target number of signatures for each Member State based on experience gained from previous ECIs and adjusting the marketing strategy throughout the campaign were key to its success.

Compelling and actionable objectives

Clear, pragmatic goals aligned with EU law helped demonstrate the initiative’s feasibility. By focusing on key legislative changes, the campaign resonated across the EU, leading to record-breaking support in 21 Member States.

Effective collaboration

A strong coalition of animal protection organisations and companies played a crucial role in amplifying the message. Providing user-friendly communication materials enabled partners to engage their audiences efficiently and maximise impact.

Preparation

In 2014, the European Chemicals Agency and the Commission released a joint statement, which clarified their understanding that cosmetics ingredients may still be tested on animals under certain limited circumstances. This news came just 18 months after the full implementation of the cosmetics testing and marketing bans, which sparked outrage and condemnation across the EU. Following years of campaigning that had not achieved any policy change, the five largest EU-wide animal protection organisations (PETA, Cruelty Free Europe, Eurogroup for Animals, the European Coalition to End Animal Experimentation, and the Humane Society International/Europe) came together with a proposal for an ECI against animal testing. 

The organisers of the ‘Save Cruelty Free Cosmetics’ initiative carefully drafted the goals and objectives of the initiative to ensure that they were pragmatic, achievable and (most importantly) in line with the EU treaties. The organisers also obtained legal advice from ECI Forum experts to help ensure that the initiative was successfully registered. 

During the preparation phase, the organisers of the ‘Save Cruelty Free Cosmetics’ campaign benefited from speaking to previous ECI organisers in order to learn from their experience in preparing and implementing their campaigns. 

Before implementing the campaign, it was important to build a network of partners to help drive forward the online campaign. The organisers contacted a number of animal protection organisations and companies, whose values aligned with the ‘Save Cruelty Free Cosmetics’ campaign, in order to help promote the initiative’s message. One of the key factors ensuring that this network of partners was active and engaged throughout the campaign was the constant communication and communication resources provided by the organisers to their partners.

Fundraising and resources

The organisers of "Save Cruelty Free Cosmetics" raised EUR 2,160,614.83 in support and funding from 22 sponsors, with significant contributions from organisations such as PETA and Dove. These funds came from a total of 91 donations.

Sources of funding (€)

 Note: Further information on Save Cruelty Free Cosmetics' support and funding is available on the Save Cruelty Free Cosmetics initiative page in the ECI Register. Only contributions above €500 per sponsor are required to be reported.

Campaign strategy and signature collection plan

The organisers of the ‘Save Cruelty Free Cosmetics’ initiative prioritised engaging their network of partners by hosting informational webinars, having a dedicated digital resource area and communicating via email. However, as the campaign progressed, the organisers moved from email to Slack (an online collaboration platform) in order to post regular updates, share information, answer questions and reach out to partners for help. 

Besides maintaining constant communication with their network of partners, the organisers enabled partners to adapt communication materials with their own logos. For press and public engagement, the organisers provided materials to highlight certain international days relevant to the objectives of the initiative (e.g. International Cat Day) and developed materials that focused on each of the three objectives of the initiative. The organisers also provided informational videos and resources to help people navigate the signature collection platform, and shared compelling videos in different languages using well-known influencers and celebrities, such as Sir Paul McCartney, the comedian Ricky Gervais, the Finnish heavy metal band Lordi, the actor Evanna Lynch and the singer Red Canzian. The organisers also engaged with local press and ran public-facing campaigns with demos and street art.

Besides coordinating with several stakeholders and multipliers in their campaign, the organisers also made sure to collect the necessary data (when possible) to evaluate their performance and improve as the campaign progressed. The organisers kept track of advert performance and replicated strategies that had worked well in one Member State in other Member States.

The initiative was promoted by 100 national organisations and their supporters as well as global cruelty free brands, such as Dove and The Body Shop.

Signature collection and verification process

The organisers approached the signature collection phase with careful planning and consideration. The organisers set targets for each Member State based on several factors, including the number of signatures previously collected in that Member State on similar campaigns, the number of supporting organisations in that Member State, and the online outreach capacity of local organisations. The organisers also considered potential barriers faced by citizens to signing the initiative, such as technological gaps and the need to provide personal identification online. After assessing these factors, the organisers identified key target countries that informed their marketing strategy and would ensure that the initiative received at least one million signatures.

Despite meticulous planning and preparation, the organisers faced some difficulties during the signature collection phase. The organisers therefore needed to adapt their campaign strategy in the Member States where signature collection was slow and to crisis situations, such as the ongoing war in Ukraine, which required partner organisations to divert energy and resources to help those in need. The organisers prepared informational ‘how-to’ videos on signing the initiative through the central online collection system provided by the Commission, but still received feedback from citizens saying that they did not understand what was required of them or why they had to provide such extensive personal information. Furthermore (as already mentioned), the organisers used advert performance to help improve their marketing strategy throughout the course of the campaign. However, the organisers found that the central online collection system did not allow them to track data metrics with sufficient details to inform the social media campaign, and this limited their ability to use this information to improve their strategy. This functionality has since been improved in the system. The organisers nevertheless continued to adapt their strategy when possible.

The "Save Cruelty Free Cosmetics" signature collection closed on 31 August 2022. The statements of support were sent to the national authorities responsible for their verification in each Member State. After the formal process, a final figure of 1,217,916 signatures was validated by national authorities. The required thresholds were reached in a record 21 Member States.

The initiative was then formally submitted to the Commission on 25 January 2023, opening the 6‑month examination period.

Number of statements of support collected by Save Cruelty Free Cosmetics per Member State

The check marks on the chart indicate the EU Member States where the minimum threshold of signatures required for supporting the initiative has been successfully met. Save Cruelty Free Cosmetics reached the minimum thresholds in 21 Member States. The full table with statements of support for Save Cruelty Free Cosmetics is available on the Save Cruelty Free Cosmetics initiative page in the ECI Register.

Keeping momentum during the lobbying phase

As the organisers entered the lobbying phase of their campaign, it was crucial to maintain strong momentum. This involved engaging with Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) and key decision-makers. The organisers created various resources, including materials and letters for their partners to present to authorities in their regions. They prepared a detailed briefing document for circulation before the meeting with Commissioners and the hearing in the European Parliament. They also developed a Q&A document to address and refute any statements they found unfounded or misleading. 

Furthermore, the organisers introduced their initiative at a meeting of the Intergroup on the Welfare and Conservation of Animals in the European Parliament. They actively collaborated with members of this group to ensure they were well-prepared for the plenary debate on 10 July 2023.

Formal submission and meetings with the Commission

After the formal submission of the ‘Save Cruelty Free Cosmetics’ initiative on 25 January 2023 (press announcement), the organisers met with Věra Jourová, Vice-President of the Commission in charge of Values and Transparency and Thierry Breton, European Commissioner for Internal Market, on 17 March 2023 (photo coverage).

European Parliament public hearing

On 25 May 2023, the European Parliament held a public hearing on the ‘Save Cruelty Free Cosmetics’ initiative (public hearing; recording). The organisers presented the initiative objectives and engaged with the MEPs (Cruelty Free Europe Takeaways). On 10 July 2023, the ‘Save Cruelty Free Cosmetics’ initiative was debated at the European Parliament’s plenary session (recording).

European Commission's formal response

The Commission adopted a communication on 25 July 2023 setting out its response to the initiative. The Commission welcomed the initiative and acknowledged that animal welfare remains a strong concern for EU citizens. The Communication assessed the merits of each of the initiative’s proposals (press release).

The Communication highlights the leading role of the EU in phasing out the use of animals in testing and improving animal welfare in general. More specifically, the Commission proposed the following legislative and non-legislative actions in response to the objectives of the ‘Save Cruelty Free Cosmetics’ initiative:

• continue to apply and enforce the animal testing ban within the framework of the EU Cosmetics Regulation;
• consider the need for legislative changes to further clarify the interface between the EU Cosmetics and REACH regulations based on the outcome of an ongoing judicial review;
• begin work on a roadmap towards replacing animal testing in chemical safety assessments, with multiple actions and a step-by-step path to replacing animal testing, involving all relevant stakeholders;
• initiate a series of actions to accelerate the reduction of animal testing in research, education and training (including exploratory workshops) and to sustain new training initiatives for scientists in the early stage of their careers;
• continue to support research on alternatives to animal testing with EU funding.

On 8 November 2023, the organisers met with Commissioner Sinkevičius to discuss the Commission’s response to the ECI.

Here are some key tips from the organisers of Save Cruelty Free Cosmetics to ensure your campaign is successful:

Preparation is key! 

Ensure partner organisations can easily participate by providing translated adverts, adaptable digital resources, and customisable campaign materials. The smoother the process, the greater the engagement.

Build a well-rounded team

You don’t just need people in your team that are knowledgeable about your campaign issue – you also need people who can create engaging content, analyse campaign results, foster cooperation with others, and engage with relevant MEPs.

Stay on top of financial reporting

Keep track of expenditure (including in-kind support) because you are legally required to declare contributions over EUR 500 (as well as in-kind support that would amount to that value or more).

Ask our experts if you have any doubts about your initiative!

Additional information regarding Save Cruelty Free Cosmetics is available on the the page of this initiative in the ECI Register.

Check out more guidance materials featuring the organisers of Save Cruelty Free Cosmetics