Non-technical summaries
The non-technical summary (NTS) is a short, clear account of the project that is written in non-technical language and is intended to provide information to the public to understand why and how the work is being undertaken, including how the 3Rs will be implemented. Until 31 December 2020 Member States were required to publish them nationally, but since then the information is published in an EU Commission database, known as the ALURES NTS EU database. The NTS is arranged in a format required by the EU Commission. Prior to 2021, the NTS was referred to as a non-technical project summary (NTPS) report and had a slightly different format from the NTS.
The NTS is written by the person seeking project approval. EU Member States are obliged to upload the NTS for each project to the EU database in respect of projects authorised within 6 months of the date of authorisation. Accordingly, the NTS for any project involving the use of animals for scientific purposes that has been authorised since 1 January 2021 is published by the EU Commission, and not on the HPRA website. However, any amendments that have been made to NTPSs associated with projects authorised prior to January 2021 will continue to be published on the HPRA website.
Guidance and Application Forms
Information on the content of NTS can be found in Annex I of Commission Implementing Decision 2020/569/EU. The relevant guidance and template forms for submitting a NTS are available in the project authorisation applications section. Queries in relation to completing a NTS should be addressed during the project evaluation stage or sent to sap@hpra.ie.
Publication of NTS
- NTPS reports are available for all projects authorised by the HPRA from 1 January 2013 until 31 December 2020 here including any amendments that have been made to the NTPS of projects authorised during this period.
- Published NTPS reports will remain accessible to the public for a period of three years after the expiry of the project authorisation.