Cosmetics Products Regulation (CPR)

The Cosmetics Products Regulation (CPR) is the key piece of legislation that underpins the manufacture and distribution of cosmetics across Europe. It came into force in July 2013 as a regulatory evolution of the European Cosmetics Directive that had been in place since 1976 .

Products that meet the requirements of the Cosmetics Products Regulation have equal and immediate access to the market and can circulate freely throughout the EU. Cosmetics are fast-moving consumer products, so the Regulation is underpinned by an in-market control system (also known as ‘post-market control’). Under this system, the person or company who places the cosmetic product on the market is responsible for the safety and legal compliance of that product. They are referred to as the ‘Responsible Person’ and are typically the manufacturer or importer of the product.

Every stage of the development of cosmetics is regulated by the CPR, from the choice of ingredients to placing the product on the market.

The Regulation defines the technical documentation and safety assessment that must be completed before a product can be marketed and sold. A qualified safety assessor is responsible for both of these. The CPR also ensures that national control authorities have access to relevant information at all times (Articles 10 and 11). As an additional safety measure, the use of certain substances in cosmetic products is banned or restricted, further ensuring  the safety of formulations (Annexes II to VII).

In the EU, it is strictly forbidden to test either the products or their individual ingredients on animals to demonstrate safety. Companies must use non-animal safety approaches for this purpose (Article 18).

Once a product is on the market, companies must collect and assess consumer reports on undesirable effects and, if necessary, modify the products (Article 23).  

Product quality is guaranteed through a mandatory requirement to follow recognised Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) standards during production (Article 8).

Strictly regulated labelling rules provide consumers with transparency on the ingredients used in products, and are covered by Article 19. This also specifies what instructions and warnings should be included, as well information on the stability of the product. Any claims made about a product’s benefits and efficacy must be true and supported by data (Article 20).