July 2013 European Union Cosmetics Rules

Current adjustments to regulations in the European Union have actually led to brand-new requirements for individual care items. Certain active ingredients are limited, brand-new labeling standards have been produced, and a computer system registry of aesthetic items is being created for all products legally up for sale in the EU. Before you prepare to export your items to the EU, have a look at the questions you will be required to take into consideration. Hyperlinks have actually been attended to ease in accessing relevant papers, which can be downloaded as PDF documents, and to EU websites with additional resources.

  1. Is the item a cosmetic under EU regulation?

An aesthetic product is "any material or prep work intended to be put touching the various exterior parts of the body or with the teeth and mucous membrane layers of the oral cavity, with a sight solely or generally to cleaning them, perfuming them, transforming their appearance, and/or dealing with body smells, and/or securing them or maintaining them in good condition."

If an item is on the fence between an aesthetic product and a pharmaceutical, food, or biocide, it might not be certified as a cosmetic under EU regulation.

  1. Does the product have active ingredients that are prohibited or restricted in the EU, was animal screening utilized at any kind of factor at the same time and were nano-materials utilized in its formulation?

Examine item ingredients very carefully to make sure they are allowed. The Cosmetics Guideline restricts testing or marketing completed cosmetic items and cosmetic ingredients on pets. Nano-materials, if utilized, requirement be clearly indicated on the labeling.

  1. Has an Item Info Document been assembled for the item?

New EU policies which enter into impact on July 13, 2013 call for a Product Information File (PIF) to be planned for each cosmetic item. The PIF should come to authorities for inspections and to poison control centers for reference. On top of that, an Aesthetic Product Safety Record (CPSR) must be assembled for every item put on the EU market and included in the PIF.

  1. Is the item stood for by an "Accountable Person" within the EU?

Beginning on 11 July 2013, only cosmetic items for which a legal or natural person is marked within the EU as an 'accountable individual' can be placed on the market. The responsible person needs to ensure conformity with the product. The Responsible Individual will certainly act as the primary contact for the product's compliance and will have its name and get in touch with details on the label.

The Responsible Individual has to likewise maintain the item details file and safety and security assessment offered and up-to-date and will do the item notification. The responsible individual would normally be the EU maker or importer, the representative (under specific conditions), or a 3rd party.

  1. Is the product properly classified?

The European Union has taken on tag requirements that must be satisfied by any imported item. For in-depth information on all label needs, describe pages 13-24 of the UK guide to EU standards (products destined for the UK do NOT have the very same standards).

  1. Is the product properly labeled?

The European Union has actually embraced tag standards that should be satisfied by any imported product. For detailed info on all label demands, refer to web pages 13-24 of the UK guide to EU requirements (items predestined for the UK do NOT have the very same standards).

  1. What are the advertising marketing and sales techniques for the product?

The EU has strict guidelines for internet marketing, net sales, and straight sales.

For information on EU constraints on internet sales and advertising, go to this website: http://ec.europa.eu/internal_market/e-commerce/index_en.htm

Where sales are performed by unsolicited visits to a consumer's home or work, details guidelines are used.

Download PDF: http://eur-lex.europa.eu/LexUriServ/LexUriServ.do?uri=OJ:L:1985:372:0031:0033:EN:PDF

  1. Are the insurance claims created for the product accurate?

There are presently no accurate guidelines for making claims on products, such as "all-natural" or "natural". The basic policy is that "labeling, advertising and marketing, and marketing of cosmetics products, texts, names, hallmarks, pictures and metaphorical or other indications can not be utilized to imply that these products have attributes or features which they do not have." If the item declares that its use will generate a specific effect, the PIF must contain info that verifies the claim. The EU Commission is currently establishing criteria for typical insurance claims. In the meantime, market organizations have stepped in and developed their very own accreditations or cumulative hallmark systems, however, these are not required. For details on European certification bodies, see

  1. Is the item trade-marked?

The simplest means to register your trademark is to submit an application online through the Office for Harmonization in the Internal Market (OHIM). The online application will enable you to get acknowledgment for your trademark throughout Europe.

To start the hallmark enrollment procedure or to learn more, check out this website: http://oami.europa.eu/ows/rw/pages/index.en.do