EU bans animal-tested cosmetics

Brussels - The European Union is banning the sale of new cosmetic products containing ingredients tested on animals.

The 27-country bloc's executive arm, the European Commission, said on Monday the ban will take effect immediately.

Animal rights groups cheered the news, but industry trade body Cosmetics Europe said the ban comes too early and "acts as a brake on innovation."

The EU has banned animal testing of finished cosmetic products since 2004. The ban on cosmetics containing animal-tested ingredients was first decided four years ago but initially left loopholes for certain tests following resistance from cosmetics companies.

While the industry's rabbits and guinea pigs will now be spared, consumers are unlikely to notice immediate changes because products containing ingredients that were tested on animals before the ban can remain on the shelves.