art_2__para

For the purposes of this Directive the following definitions shall apply: (a) 'animal' unless otherwise qualified, means any live non-human vertebrate, including free-living larval and/or reproducing larval forms, but excluding foetal or embryonic forms; (b) 'experimental animals' means animals used or to be used in experiments; (c) 'bred animals' means animals specially bred for use in experiments in facilities approved by, or registered with, the authority; (d) 'experiment' means any use of an animal for experimental or other scientific purposes which may cause it pain, suffering, distress or lasting harm, including any course of action intended, or liable, to result in the birth of an animal in any such condition, but excluding the least painful methods accepted in modern practice (i.e. 'humane' methods) of killing or marking an animal; an experiment starts when an animal is first prepared for use and ends when no further observations are to be made for that experiment; the elimination of pain, suffering, distress or lasting harm by the successful use of anaesthesia or analgesia or other methods does not place the use of an animal outside the scope of this definition. Non experimental, agricultural or clinical veterinary practices are excluded; (e) 'authority' means the authority or authorities designated by each Member State as being responsible for supervising the experiments within the meaning of this Directive; (f) 'competent person' means any person who is considered by a Member State to be competent to perform the relevant function described in this Directive; (g) 'establishment' means any installation, building, group of buildings or other premises and may include a place which is not wholly enclosed or covered and mobile facilities; (h) 'breeding establishment' means any establishment where animals are bred with a view to their use in experiments; (i) 'supplying establishment' means any establishment, other than a breeding establishment, from which animals are supplied with a view to their use in experiments; (j) 'user establishment' means any establishment where animals are used for experiments; (k) 'properly anaesthetized' means deprived of sensation by methods of anaesthesia (whether local or general) as effective as those used in good veterinary practice; (l) 'humane method of killing' means the killing of an animal with a minimum of physical and mental suffering, depending on the species.

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Source: EUR-Lex (Cellar) · retrieved 2026-11-07 · Text as adopted (Official Journal); later amendments are not incorporated in this text.