Which law regulate animal testing in Germany?

Animal Welfare Act

Germany has had an Animal Welfare Act (in German only, LINK) since 1972. This act protects all animals – including laboratory animals.

The law was revised in 2006, 2013 and 2021 with the aim of protecting animal welfare. Section 1 states: “The purpose of this law is to protect the life and well-being of animals based on human responsibility for them as fellow creatures. No one may inflict pain, suffering or harm on an animal without reasonable cause.” 

Thus, the Animal Welfare Act permits animal experimentation – as long as there are “reasonable grounds.” Such reasonable grounds, valid prior to the Act, are listed in Section 7a. These include basic research or other research aimed at the “prevention, detection or treatment of disease, suffering, physical injury or physical discomfort in humans or animals.”

Directive 2010/63/EU and Animal Welfare Regulation Governing Experimental Animals

As far as possible, animals should be subject to the same requirements for protection in all member states of the European Union. This also makes the scientific results of animal experiments more comparable. The EU Directive of 2010 "On the protection of animals used for scientific purposes" (LINK) has since become national law in all EU countries. 

Thus in Germany the Animal Welfare Act was amended in 2013 and animal welfare law was further refined through the Animal Welfare Regulation Governing Experimental Animals (Tierschutz-Versuchstierverordnung). In 2021, the law was further amended and updated.