Madrid - Spain may start pushing for the right to life and freedom for apes in the European Union, press reports said Thursday.

A parliamentary environmental commission has urged the government to join the international Great Apes Project promoted by scientists and thinkers.

Spain would thus make the pioneer move of adopting legislation granting chimpanzees, gorillas, orangutans and bonobos the right to life, freedom and not to be tortured.

It would become illegal to use apes in experiments that cause pain, in circuses or for other commercial purposes.

Apes "can recognize themselves and have cognitive capacities" like humans do, said Joan Herrera of the ecologist formation IVC.

The governing Socialist Party denied that apes would be given "human rights," saying the measures would be aimed at protecting them. (dpa)