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... 47. In accordance with Directive 86/609/EEC, it is necessary to replace, reduce or refine testing on vertebrate animals. Implementation of this Regulation should be based on the use of alternative test methods, suitable for the assessment of health and environmental hazards of chemicals, wherever possible. The use of animals should be avoided by recourse to alternative methods validated by the Commission or international bodies, or recognised by the Commission or the Agency as appropriate to meet the information requirements under this Regulation. To this end, the Commission, following consultation with relevant stakeholders, should propose to amend the future Commission Regulation on test methods or this Regulation, where appropriate, to replace, reduce or refine animal testing. The Commission and the Agency should ensure that reduction of animal testing is a key consideration in the development and maintenance of guidance for stakeholders and in the Agency's own procedures. ...

... 2. These methods shall be regularly reviewed and improved with a view to reducing testing on vertebrate animals and the number of animals involved. The Commission, following consultation with relevant stakeholders, shall, as soon as possible, make a proposal, if appropriate, to amend the Commission Regulation on test methods adopted in accordance with the procedure referred to in Article 133(4), and the Annexes of this Regulation, if relevant, so as to replace, reduce or refine animal testing. Amendments to that Commission Regulation shall be adopted in accordance with the procedure specified in paragraph 3 and amendments to the Annexes of this Regulation shall be adopted in accordance with the procedure referred to in Article 131. ...

... 3. In preparing its opinion, each Committee referred to in paragraph 1 shall first check that the application includes all the information specified in Article 62 that is relevant to its remit. If necessary, the Committees shall, in consultation with each other, make a joint request to the applicant for additional information to bring the application into conformity with the requirements of Article 62. The Committee for Socio-economic Analysis may, if it deems it necessary, require the applicant or request third parties to submit, within a specified time period, additional information on possible alternative substances or technologies. Each Committee shall also take into account any information submitted by third parties. ...

... 1. If, after consultation with the Chairman of the Board of Appeal, the Executive Director considers the appeal to be admissible and well founded he may rectify the decision within 30 days of the appeal being filed in accordance with Article 92(2). ...

... The competent authorities of the Member States shall inform the general public about the risks arising from substances where this is considered necessary for the protection of human health or the environment. The Agency, in consultation with competent authorities and stakeholders and drawing as appropriate on relevant best practice, shall provide guidance for the communication of information on the risks and safe use of chemical substances, on their own, in preparations or in articles, with a view to coordinating Member States in these activities. ...