Interviews
Günter sets deadline of 2010 for new Cosmetics Directive
16 Jan '07
3 min read
The European Commission has launched a consultation round for stakeholders in the field of cosmetics, to come to a simplified and modern regulatory framework for the industry, which avoids unnecessary costs.
This new framework should replace the existing EU Cosmetics Directive from 1976, which has become a “patchwork” of almost 50 amendments without coherent terminology. Moreover, many provisions appear in the wrong context and the detailed regulation of individual substances used for cosmetics has proven very complex, resource-intensive and difficult to administer.
This renders compliance more onerous and costly than necessary for the industry, which is world leader in this field.. The consultation round will end in March this year and must lead to a new framework by 2010 at the latest. The existing provisions on the ban and phasing-out of animal-tests for cosmetic products by 2009/2013 are not going to be part of this exercise.
Commission Vice-President Günter Verheugen, responsible for enterprise and industry policies, said: “We stick to our promise to reduce and simplify EU law. We want a modern legislation for cosmetics aiming at streamlining, simplifying and clarifying the multitude of current texts. The focus must be on reducing legislation and administrative costs considerably, but making it at the same time more efficient, without effecting public health and safety.”
The Cosmetics Directive sets the legal framework to ensure the safety of cosmetic products placed on the EU-market. In the past 30 years this Directive has been amended 48 times. This has rendered many provisions unclear or brought them into the wrong context.
This new framework should replace the existing EU Cosmetics Directive from 1976, which has become a “patchwork” of almost 50 amendments without coherent terminology. Moreover, many provisions appear in the wrong context and the detailed regulation of individual substances used for cosmetics has proven very complex, resource-intensive and difficult to administer.
This renders compliance more onerous and costly than necessary for the industry, which is world leader in this field.. The consultation round will end in March this year and must lead to a new framework by 2010 at the latest. The existing provisions on the ban and phasing-out of animal-tests for cosmetic products by 2009/2013 are not going to be part of this exercise.
Commission Vice-President Günter Verheugen, responsible for enterprise and industry policies, said: “We stick to our promise to reduce and simplify EU law. We want a modern legislation for cosmetics aiming at streamlining, simplifying and clarifying the multitude of current texts. The focus must be on reducing legislation and administrative costs considerably, but making it at the same time more efficient, without effecting public health and safety.”
The Cosmetics Directive sets the legal framework to ensure the safety of cosmetic products placed on the EU-market. In the past 30 years this Directive has been amended 48 times. This has rendered many provisions unclear or brought them into the wrong context.
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