Mandate of the Norwegian Committee for the Protection of Animals Used for Scientific Purposes

The committee is appointed by the Ministry of Agriculture and Food.

Through the implementation of the EU Directive on animals used for scientific purposes (2010/63/EU), Norway is obliged to appoint a national committee for the protection of animals used for scientific purposes. The role of the committee is described in recital 48 and Article 49 of the Directive, and in the European Commission working document ”Animal Welfare Bodies and National Committees” (European Commission 2014).

Purpose:
For the purpose of protecting animals used in research, the committee shall advise both the supervisory authority (the Laboratory Animal Administration of the Norwegian Food Safety Authority) and the animal welfare bodies at the individual establishments that use animals in research, and promote harmonised implementation and exchange of information on the 3Rs (Replace, Refine and Reduce), animal welfare and ethics in this field.

The committee shall:

• Promote the 3Rs and in that connection advise the Laboratory Animal Administration and the animal welfare bodies.
• Be an advisory body for the Laboratory Animal Administration and the animal welfare bodies regarding the acquisition, breeding, accommodation, care and use of animals in experiments, and ensure the sharing of best practice between departments. Advice to the Laboratory Animal Administration should preferably be given both proactively and retroactively. Through dialogue with the animal welfare bodies, the committee should receive feedback on what kind of advice, guidance and communication links would be useful.
• Advise the Laboratory Animal Administration in order to promote uniform processing of applications for animal experiments at the national level, and evaluate strategies related to this.
• Maintain contact with other national committees in the EU and contribute at relevant international meetings to promote and develop the work of the national committees, by exchanging information on the operation of the animal welfare bodies, on the processing of applications and on best practice in animal welfare.

Although a close connection with the Laboratory Animal Administration will be natural when the committee carries out its tasks, the committee’s work shall be independent and impartial.

The committee may also:
• Inform public debate on the use of animals in research and provide input on draft regulations or guidance related to the keeping and use of animals for scientific purposes.
• Provide advice and guidance on carrying out application processing.
• Provide advice on applications to carry out a specific type of animal experiment, or on complaints about the Laboratory Animal Administration’s decisions in application processing.
• When needed, coordinate experts or establish expert groups to give advice on specific cases identified by the animal welfare bodies.
• Visit the various institutions to be better informed about matters related to the keeping and use of animals in research, and to give a further opportunity to identify matters on which it is desirable that the committee gives advice.
• Contribute to a common framework and standards in education and training.
• Recommend and disseminate useful guidance material.

The members of the committee serve a term of 4 years. At the first appointment, half of the members were appointed for a period of 2 years and the other members for 4 years, to ensure continuity. The Norwegian Food Safety Authority provides the secretariat for the committee, and is in that capacity responsible for the practical arrangements for and the holding of the committee’s meetings.

The mandate is developed based on Article 49 of the Directive
Link: https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX:32010L0063

And on the European Commission working document ”Animal Welfare Bodies and National Committees” (European Commission 2014)
Link: https://op.europa.eu/en/publication-detail/-/publication/191a69b0-2555-11e9-8d04-01aa75ed71a1/language-en/format-PDF/source-282223752

This is a translation. The mandate approved by the Ministry of Agriculture and Food is the Norwegian version.