Review of Cosmetics Directive 76/768/EEC

On this page:

The New Cosmetic Products Regulation

The Commission proposal

Impact assessment report

Public consultation

Responses to public consultation

A simplification of Council Directive 76/768/EEC of 27 July 1976 on the approximation of the laws of the Member
States relating to cosmetic products (the "Cosmetics Directive") was announced in the Commission
Communication "Implementing the Community Lisbon programme: A strategy for the simplification of the
regulatory environment"

[318 KB] and in the Commission's Annual Policy Strategy for 2007 and in

the Commission's Legislative and Work Program 2007

. The aim is to simplify the legal framework for economic

activities in the EU which was identified as one of the key issues on the better regulation agenda in the Commission
Communication "Better regulation for growth and jobs in the European Union".
The Commission has proposed to simplify the Cosmetics Directive in the form of a recast, i.e. a legislative technique which
enables to codify a legislative text and its amendments and to introduce substantive improvements. The website of the Legal
Service of the European Commission offers more information on the recast-technique.
It shall be emphasised at the outset that, in its proposal, the Commission does not propose any changes to the rules relating
to animal testing which were added to the Cosmetics Directive by the "seventh amendment" (144 KB) in 2003 (cf. Article
4a, Article 6(3), second sub-paragraph, Article 7a(1)(h) and Article 9 of the Cosmetics Directive).

The New Cosmetic Products Regulation

On 30 November 2009, was adopted the new Cosmetic Products Regulation, EU Regulation 1223/2009
, replacing the
Cosmetics Directive.
With the new Cosmetics Regulation Europe is having a robust, internationally recognised regime, which reinforces product
safety taking into consideration the latest technological developments, including the possible use of nanomaterials.
Most of the provisions of this new regulation will be applicable as from 11 July 2013. The ban and the strict regime aiming at
phasing out animal testing were not modified.
For more information regarding transitional provisions and dates of application of the Cosmetics Regulation, you may
consult the explanatory note of the Commission's services .
If you notice linguistic or substantial errors in the annexes to the Cosmetics Regulation please send us your comments at the
following address:
SANCO-REVISION-COSMETICS@ec.europa.eu
You may consult: The European Parliament website - The Council's register of public documents - The Council press release

The Commission proposal

The Commission proposal
for a "Cosmetics Regulation" was adopted on 5 February 2008. The launch of the public
consultation was announced by a press release.
The Commission has proposed to simplify the Cosmetics Directive in the form of a recast, i.e. a legislative technique which
enables to codify a legislative text and its amendments and to introduce substantive improvements. The website of the Legal
Service of the European Commission offers more information on the recast-technique.
It shall be emphasised at the outset that, in its proposal, the Commission does not propose any changes to the rules relating to
" [144 KB] in 2003 (cf.
animal testing which were added to the Cosmetics Directive by the " seventh amendment
Article 4a, Article 6(3), second sub-paragraph, Article 7a(1)(h) and Article 9 of the Cosmetics Directive).
The proposal has been submitted to the European Parliament and the Council who engage in co-decision procedure. You find
an overview of this procedure here.
To follow the proposal in the different steps of the procedure, please consult the "legislative observatory" of the European
Parliament or PreLex, the EU-database on interinstitutional procedures.

Impact assessment report

On the basis of the responses to this public consultation, as well as several Commission studies, the Commission has engaged
into an extensive impact assessment. A draft of the impact assessment has undergone review by the impact assessment board.
In its opinion of 31 August 2007, the impact assessment board approved the impact assessment report subject to some
modifications.
Final impact assessment report on the simplification of the Cosmetics Directive published on 5 February 2008.
Executive summary of the impact assessment report

Public consultation
A public consultation on the simplification of the Cosmetics Directive (63 KB) was launched on 12 January 2007 and
closed on 16 March 2007.
The launch of the public consultation was announced by a press release. A summary of the responses to the public
consultation is contained as Annex 1 to the impact assessment report.

Responses to public consultation

You find here the responses from stakeholders to the public consultation on the revision of the Cosmetics Directive, launched
in 2007.
Note, that 7 stakeholders requested confidential treatment of the submission.

ACCORD Australasia Limited (formerly ACSPA)

ACO Hud Nordic AB

(170 KB)

(116 KB)

Association of Danish Cosmetics and Detergent Industries SPT

(55 KB)

Azett Seifenfabrik GmbH & Co. KG (280 KB)

BDIH - Bundesverband deutscher Industrie- und Handelsunternehmen fr Arzneimittel, Reformwaren,
(50 KB)

Nahrungsergnzungsmittel und Krperpflegemittel e.V.

BEUC - Bureau Europen des Unions de Consommateurs

CED - Council of European Dentists

(156 KB)

(70 KB)

COLIPA - The European Cosmetic, Toiletry and Perfumery Association

COSMED - L'Association de la filire cosmtique

(84 KB)

CTFA - United States Cosmetic, Toiletry and Fragrance Association

CTPA - The Cosmetic, Toiletry and Perfumery Association (U.K.)
Czech Association for Branded Products
DETIC asbl

(126 KB)
(127 KB)

(15 KB)

(71 KB)

Drogen- und Chemikalienverein e.V.

(181 KB)

DVRH - Deutscher Verband der Riechstoff-Hersteller e.V.

(108 KB)

EFfCI - The European Federation for Cosmetic Ingredients

(291 KB)

FCIO - Fachverband der chemischen Industrie sterreichs

(111 KB)

FEPD - Fderation Europenne des Parfumeurs Dtaillants

(80 KB)

FIP - Fdration des Industries de la Parfumerie

(21 KB)

GSK - GlaxoSmithKline Consumer Healthcare Europe

Henkel KGaA

(177 KB)

(76 KB)

(19 KB)

Hirschberg Cosmetic Produktions GmbH

(10 KB)

ICDA - Irish Cosmetics, Detergent and Allied products Association

IKW - Industrieverband Krperpflege- und Waschmittel e.V.
Internationaler Bund der Tierversuchsgegner
Japan Cosmetic Industry Association

(98 KB)

(48 KB)

(15 KB)

(64 KB)

KLF - the Norwegian Association of Cosmetics, Toiletries and Fragrance Suppliers

Kozmos - The Hungarian Cosmetic and Home Care Association

KTF - Kemisk-tekniska leverantrfrbundet (The Swedish Cosmetic, Toiletry and Detergent Association)
KB)

(12 KB)

(75 KB)

L'Oral

(137 KB)

National Allergy Research Centre (DK)

Laboratoires Pierre Fabre

(24 KB)

(14 KB)

Polish Association of Cosmetics and Home Care Products Producers

(46 KB)

(47

Polish Union of Private Employers of Cosmetics Industry

Procter & Gamble
Provital S.A.

(155 KB)

(70 KB)

(65 KB)

PSVAK - Hellenic Cosmetic Toiletry and Perfumery Association

Schnuch, Axel (Gttingen)

STANPA - Asociacin Nacional de Perfumera y Cosmtica (ES)

TechNature S.A.R.L. (FR)

(109 KB)

(133 KB)

UNI Hair and Beauty (DK) and Coiffure EU (NL)

Unilever

(59 KB)

(274 KB)

(331 KB)

(153 KB)

UNITIS - European Organization of Cosmetic Ingredients Industries And Services

Verbraucherzentrale Bundesverband e.V.

(32 KB)

(94 KB)