Henkel welcomes the publication of the new action program of the European Partnership for Alternative Approaches to Animal Testing (EPAA). The action program proposes joint activities covering 5 key topics with a view to accelerating the development over the next five years of test approaches which do not make use of animals. Henkel is participating in this action program through its research company Phenion, in which Henkel has pooled its research activities aimed at developing alternatives to animal testing.

On November 7, 2005, the European Commission, six - including Henkel - and seven industrial associations launched the EPAA. The partners committed to the Brussels 3R declaration, namely to replace animal testing, reduce the number of tests that make use of animals, or to refine animal testing methods. In the meantime, the number of companies participating in the European Partnership has increased to eight.

Within the scope of the EPAA action program, Henkel works with external partners from industry, government agencies, and research establishments on national and international joint projects designed to accelerate the development of alternative approaches to animal testing. One example of this is a full skin model developed by Phenion, which is being used to develop new alternative test methods.