About | Law and Ethics | The Dutch Law
Laws on Animal Experimentation
The Ministry with the primary responsibility for these laws is the Ministry of Health, Welfare and Sport (Volksgezondheid, Welzijn en Sport - VWS). A publication dealing with Animal Research in the Netherlands is available for download from the VWS through the Keuringsdienst van Waren (
Pdf, 822 KB)
The current law controlling animal experimentation originated on 12/01/1977 (Stb. 67) and was published on 22/02/1977 (Kamerstuk 10589).
The law has since been amended as follows:
11/02/1988: Stb 77
30/05/1990: Stb 222
04/06/1992: Stb 422
16/12/1993: Stb 650
22/06/1994: Stb 573
10/07/1995: Stb 355
12/09/1996: Stb 500
21/11/1996: Stb 565
06/12/1997: Stb 63
06/11/1997: Stb 510
Suggested amendments pending:
Kamerstukken: 28503
Articles: 10A, 10E, 25
The introduction of the law was phased as follows:
Date: 23-02-1977
Article(s): 18
Origin: 12-02-1977, Stb. 67
Date: 01-09-1980
Article(s): 1, 10, 13, 16, 17, 20 to 25, 28 en 29
Origin: 04-07-1980, Stb. 411
Date: 01-01-1986
Article(s): 2 (parts 1 and 3), 4 to 9, 11, 12, 14, 15 and 27
Origin: 10-12-1985, Stb. 735
Date.: 01-07-1989
Article(s): 2 (part 2) and 3
Origin: 10-12-1985, Stb. 735
Not yet applied:
Article: 26
Not applied:
Article: 19
At a European level the ETS 123 Convention and EC Directive 86/609/EC apply.
Among other things, these regulations provide for the qualifications required of researchers (article 9), expert supervision (Animal Welfare Officer, article 14) and animal caretakers and technicians (article 12) involved in animal experimentation and in the breeding and care of animals.
The BPRC has a license from the Ministry of VWS to perform animal experiments. However, all research proposals involving vertebrate animals need prior approval of a recognised ‘Animal Exerimental Committee’ (in Dutch this is called the DEC) before they can be started. This committee can also give conditional or negative advices. The qualifications for membership of this committee, including its independence from the research institute, is clearly defined in the Laws on Animal Experimentation.
BPRC researchers use only purpose-bred animals, preferably from the BPRC colony. Where this is not possible, monkeys are purchased from selected licensed breeding centres in Europe, Asia or the USA. The import and export of monkeys is closely regulated and is controlled by the CITES convention for the protection of exotic species to which The Netherlands is a signatory.
