Cosmetic product notification in the European Union

The European Union (EU) upholds strict standards to safeguard consumer health and well-being. One crucial aspect of regulatory compliance in the EU cosmetic industry is product notification through the Cosmetic Product Notification Portal (CPNP).  

Legal obligation 

Article 13 of Regulation (EC) No 1223/2009 on cosmetic products requires that the responsible persons and, under certain circumstances, the distributors of cosmetic products submit some information about the products they place or make available on the European market through the CPNP. Each cosmetic product must be notified before being placed on the EU market. 

Cosmetic Product Notification Portal (CPNP) 

The CPNP is a free of charge online notification system created for the implementation of the Regulation. It serves as a centralized database, accessible to competent authorities, European poison centers, cosmetic products responsible persons and distributors of cosmetic products. 

The use of CPNP is mandatory since 11 July 2013. 

Information requirements 

According to the Regulation, when notifying a cosmetic product through the CPNP, the following information shall be submitted: 

• the category of cosmetic product and its name or names, enabling its specific identification; 
• the name and address of the responsible person where the Product Information File (PIF) is made readily accessible; 
• the country of origin in the case of import; 
• the Member State in which the cosmetic product is to be placed on the market; 
• the contact details of a physical person to contact in the case of necessity; 
• the presence of substances in the form of nanomaterials and: 
  1. their identification; 
  2. the reasonably foreseeable exposure conditions; 

• the name and CAS or EC number of substances classified as carcinogenic, mutagenic or toxic for reproduction (CMR), of category 1A or 1B, under Part 3 of Annex VI to Regulation (EC) No 1272/2008; 
• the product frame formulation, allowing for prompt and appropriate medical treatment in the event of difficulties; 

• the original labelling and, where reasonably legible, a photograph of the corresponding packaging. 

Products containing nanomaterials  

Article 16 of the Regulation requires that, in addition to the notification under Article 13, cosmetic products containing nanomaterials shall be notified to the Commission by the Responsible Person six months prior to being placed on the market. The CPNP contains a separate module (Article 16) for cosmetic products containing nanomaterials.  

The CPNP is making the information on cosmetic products available electronically to competent authorities (for the purposes of market surveillance, market analysis, evaluation and consumer information) and poison centers or similar bodies established by EU countries (for the purposes of medical treatment), allowing for effective consumer protection. 

References:

Regulation (EC) No 1223/2009 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 30 November 2009 on cosmetic products 

European Commission. Cosmetic product notification portal 

European Commission. CPNP User's Manual – For Responsible Persons and Distributors. 2017 

European Commission. Cosmetic Products Notification Portal (CPNP) - Article 16 User Manual