In recent months, European consumers and policymakers have been increasingly exposed to misleading and inaccurate claims regarding the safety of cosmetic and fragrance products and their future regulation. These include assertions that the Omnibus VI revision would relax safety rules for carcinogenic substances, lower safety standards through regulatory simplification, or that cosmetic products pose significant health risks. Such claims are unfounded. Their growing volume risks undermining informed policymaking and public trust.
“Recent months have seen a concerning rise in misinformation about the proposed changes under Omnibus VI. These claims do not reflect reality,” said Alexander Mohr, PhD, President of the International Fragrance Association (IFRA). “Omnibus VI represents a targeted adjustment to regulatory processes, not a change to the fundamental principles of cosmetic and fragrance safety. Safety assessments remain firmly anchored in independent scientific evaluation and robust controls.”
Consumer safety is the central objective for both EU legislators and the cosmetics and fragrance industry, including companies of all sizes across the sector. The European Union maintains one of the most stringent regulatory frameworks globally, ensuring that all products undergo rigorous scientific assessment and are subject to strict post-market surveillance.
“While the European Union moves forward with streamlining and clarifying the cosmetics framework to reduce administrative burden and foster competitiveness, our total commitment to safety has not changed,” said John Chave, Director-General of Cosmetics Europe. “Omnibus VI does not weaken safeguards. On the contrary, it ensures that regulatory decisions are better aligned with robust scientific evidence making it less likely that safe ingredients will be banned, and 100% certain that ingredients that need to be banned, are banned”.
Cosmetics Europe and IFRA call on legislators to support Omnibus VI as a pragmatic and proportionate measure that upholds Europe’s high standards of consumer protection while supporting innovation and competitiveness in the cosmetics and fragrance sector. They also stress the need for vigilance against coordinated misinformation campaigns, which risk distorting the regulatory process.
“Safety is non-negotiable,” added Mr Chave. “However, safety decisions must be based on science, not irrelevant criteria and procedural bottlenecks. Omnibus VI introduces necessary adjustments to ensure this objective is met.”
About Cosmetics Europe
Cosmetics Europe is the European trade association for the cosmetics and personal care industry. Our members include cosmetics and personal care manufacturers, as well as associations representing our industry at national level across Europe.
Media contact: Malgorzata Miazek
About IFRA
The International Fragrance Association (IFRA) is the global voice of the fragrance industry. Since its creation in 1973, IFRA has brought together global fragrance houses companies, national associations, and regional fragrance ingredient manufacturers or compounders committed to ensuring the safe use of fragrance ingredients, grounded in science and responsibility. IFRA represents fragrance producers, works with regulators and international partners, and supports sustainability and innovation across the value chain.
Media contact: Charles de Lusignan