Update of the Glossary of common ingredient names
Article 19 of Regulation (EC) No 1223/2009 requires the labelling information on cosmetic products to include a list of ingredients that are to be expressed using the common ingredient names set out in a glossary compiled and updated by the European Commission pursuant to Article 33 of that Regulation, to ensure uniform labelling and to facilitate identification of cosmetics ingredients in the European Union (EU).
Accordingly, a glossary of common ingredient names for use in the labelling of cosmetic products was established by Commission Decision (EU) 2019/701 of 5 April 2019, replacing and adapting the list of ingredients contained in Decision 96/335/EC to cover new ingredients introduced onto the EU market.
This glossary takes account of internationally recognised nomenclatures including the International Nomenclature of Cosmetic Ingredients (INCI) and is required to be regularly updated by the European Commission in order to take into account new ingredient names that are currently in use. For ingredients not included in the current version of the glossary, the internationally recognised nomenclature - including the INCI - can be used for labelling.
In the absence of a common ingredient name, a term as contained in a generally accepted nomenclature shall be used, and some particularities are known.
The CI (Colour Index) number is listed as the common ingredient name for colourants other than colourants intended to colour the hair, in accordance with Article 19 of Regulation (EC) No 1223/2009. Some ingredients used in perfume and aromatic compositions do not have an INCI name and, therefore, for those ingredients, the glossary should list the perfuming names that have previously been used for them in the EU.
On 29 April 2022, the European Commission published Commission Implementing Decision (EU) 2022/677 updating the glossary of common ingredient names for use in the labelling of cosmetic products.
The common ingredient names listed in the glossary are to be applied, for the purpose of labelling cosmetic products placed on the market, at the latest 12 months after publication of the glossary in the Official Journal of the European Union.
The new glossary includes 30070 common ingredient names and thus applies from 29 April 2023.
References
Regulation (EC) No 1223/2009 of 30 November 2009 on cosmetic products