John Chave
Cosmetics Europe – The Personal Care Association, Brussels

Abstract

The article explains how Cosmetics Europe, the trade association representing the cosmetics and personal care industry, is responding to three key issues: the need for research into alternatives to animal testing; the regulatory regime for cosmetics claims; and the increasing focus on sustainability issue in the sector. It explains the key features of the research programmes on alternatives to animal testing developed by Cosmetics Europe, and the challenges faced in developing recognised alternatives. It explains the audit of cosmetics claims by the European Advertising Standards Authority, and the report on claims recently published by the European Commission. Finally, it gives examples of work undertaken by Cosmetics Europe and its member organisations in highlighting and developing sustainability best practice

This article reviews three diverse challenges currently facing the European cosmetics industry. The first is scientific -  research into alternatives to animal testing as part of the safety assessment of cosmetic products. The second issue is the regulation of claims under the EU cosmetics regulation and its recent scrutiny by the European Commission. The third issue is a major societal and industrial challenge, sustainability. The article explains how Cosmetics Europe, the European trade association representing the cosmetics and personal care industry, is responding to these challenges.

ANIMAL TESTING

In 2004 the testing of finished cosmetic products on animals was banned in the EU. Five years later a legislative ban on animal testing on cosmetic ingredients was introduced, and by March 2013 a marketing ban of products containing ingredients tested on animals was fully implemented.

While the industry in the EU accepts the ban, and does not advocate a return to the animal testing era, the fact is that a full set of alternatives for animal testing is simply not available. This hinders innovation in Europe, and also cons ...