Impact Assessment Study On Fragrance Labelling On Cosmetic Products PDF Download

The Impact Assessment study on fragrance labelling on cosmetic products (575/PP/2016/FC) has been commissioned by the European Commission in 2019 with the objective to provide input for a possible new initiative following the 26-27 June 2012 Opinion of the Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety (SCCS) and the 2014 public consultation when one of the option was the individual labelling of 62 contact allergens in addition to the 26 allergens already labelled. This study focusses on fragrance allergens that can be found in cosmetic products. Precise information regarding the fragrance allergens should be provided to consumers is needed with no delay. At the same time, displaying an increased number of allergens on the packaging can raise concerns regarding readability and transparency of information, packaging, waste generation as well as access to information for consumers. As a result, the European Commission has identified the following policy option alternatives for further assessment within the context of this study: - Option 1. Baseline: No EU action; - Option 2. On-pack labelling: Labelling additional fragrance allergens according to the present rules of the Cosmetics Regulation, i.e. on the package of a cosmetic product or in other ways (leaflets, tags, etc.); and - Option 3. E-labelling - Sub-option 3(a). E-labelling by means of a website address; - Sub-option 3(b). E-labelling by means of QR codes; - Sub-option 3(c). E-labelling by means of extended barcodes. The overarching objective of the study is to assess various labelling options and provide an informative and appropriate labelling solution whilst ensuring consumer safety, product information transparency in Europe and maintaining the competitiveness of the relevant industrial sectors. Consequently, the study has involved a wide-ranging consultation process including: - Telephone interviews with consumers; - Semi-structured interviews with consumers, industry and SME associations, manufacturers, retailers, medical professionals, pharmaceutical companies, patient associations and national authorities; - Public consultation for all stakeholders and citizens in Europe; - Targeted consultations with focussed questions for relevant industrial actors; and - Round-table meeting with stakeholders. In addition to the present report, a synopsis report has also been prepared to give an overview on the methodology and results of the stakeholder consultations as they may relate to the overarching objective of the study.