ecopa

The aim of ecopa (European Consensus-Platform on Alternatives) was to bring together all four stakeholders involved in animal research: government and regulatory authorities, academia, industry, and animal protection and welfare organisations. It supported the establishment of National Consensus Platforms (NCPs) which involve all these 4 stakeholders (statutes). It is an international not-for-profit organisation.
The name ecopa is to be spelled with small letters and italics, according to the statutes. ecopa was officially founded on 2 April 2004, but it was decided in 2025 to close down the organisation as it was no longer considered to be financial sustainable.

The primary aim of ecopa was to promote "the three Rs" (Replacement, Reduction, Refinement) in the use of animals in research, testing, education and training in Europe. ecopa shall therefore contribute to increased knowledge in the areas of:

1. Replacement of animals
2. Reduction of the number of animals used
3. Refinement to reduce suffering and increase animal welfare.

ecopa strived for consensus between the stakeholders in attempting to achieve its goals.

• 3RCC (Switzerland)
• Fincopa (Finland)
• Francopa (France)
• IPAM (Italy)
• Norecopa (Norway)
• REMA (Spain)
• The SET Foundation (Germany)