Critics have accused cosmetics companies of stalling on animal tests.
A Europe-wide ban of sales of cosmetics tested on animals anywhere worldwide could be delayed for a period of up to four years.

This delay has occurred as it is considered that testing the safety of ingredients in another way is not going to be ready in time.
Cosmetics and testing experts forecast that the European commission is shortly going to announce that it is not able to introduce the third phase of the European cosmetics directive, as it had planned, in 2013. This directive was to have banned the sale in Europe of any cosmetics tested on animals anywhere world wide.
The makeup industry has faced a barrage of criticism regarding the delay in the development of other testing methods.
Critcis wish to put an end to what they call “needless animal testing purely for the commercial gain of industry”.