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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. Within 30 days of circulation, the Member States may propose amendments to the draft decision to the Agency. ...

... 4. If a Member State considers that the manufacture, placing on the market or use of a substance on its own, in a preparation or in an article poses a risk to human health or the environment that is not adequately controlled and needs to be addressed it shall notify the Agency that it proposes to prepare a dossier which conforms to the requirements of the relevant sections of Annex XV. If the substance is not on the list maintained by the Agency referred to in paragraph 5 of this Article, the Member State shall prepare a dossier which conforms to the requirements of Annex XV within 12 months of the notification to the Agency. If this dossier demonstrates that action on a Community-wide basis is necessary, beyond any measures already in place, the Member State shall submit it to the Agency in the format outlined in Annex XV, in order to initiate the restrictions process. The Agency or Member States shall refer to any dossier, chemical safety report or risk assessment submitted to the Agency or Member State under this Regulation. The Agency or Member States shall also refer to any relevant risk assessment submitted for the purposes of other Community Regulations or Directives. To this end other bodies, such as agencies, established under Community law and carrying out a similar task shall provide information to the Agency or Member State concerned on request. The Committee for Risk Assessment and the Committee for Socio-economic Analysis shall check whether the dossier submitted conforms to the requirements of Annex XV. Within 30 days of receipt, the respective Committee shall inform the Agency or the Member State suggesting restrictions, as to whether the dossier conforms. If the dossier does not conform, the reasons shall be given to the Agency or the Member State in writing within 45 days of receipt. The Agency or the Member State shall bring the dossier into conformity within 60 days of the date of receipt of the reasons from the Committees, otherwise the procedure under this Chapter shall be terminated. The Agency shall publish without delay the intention of the Commission or of a Member State to instigate a restriction procedure for a substance and shall inform those who submitted a registration for that substance. ...

... 9. In accordance with the objective of promoting non-animal testing and the replacement, reduction or refinement of animal testing required under this Regulation, the Commission shall review the testing requirements of Section 8.7 of Annex VIII by 1 June 2019. On the basis of this review, while ensuring a high level of protection of health and the environment, the Commission may propose an amendment in accordance with the procedure referred to in Article 133(4). ...