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June 19, 2017

EC Publishes Catalog of Nanomaterials Used in Cosmetic Products Placed on the EU Market

Lynn L. Bergeson Carla N. Hutton

On June 15, 2017, the European Commission (EC) published a catalog of nanomaterials used in cosmetic products on the European Union (EU) market.  Regulation (EC) No. 1223/2009 on cosmetic products requires the EC to publish a catalog of all nanomaterials used in cosmetics placed on the market, indicating the categories of products and the reasonably foreseeable exposure conditions.  Under the Regulation, the catalog was due by January 11, 2014.  As reported in our February 13, 2017, blog item, the EC postponed publication of the catalog several times due to the allegedly poor quality of the information it received from industry.  The EC based the catalog on information notified electronically to the EC through the Cosmetic Products Notification Portal (CPNP).  The EC states that it “takes no responsibility for the content and the scientific qualification of the notifications made in the CPNP.”  The functions of the nanomaterials listed in the catalog (12 as colorants, six as ultraviolet (UV)-filters, and 25 as other functions) are based on the names of substances notified and, generally, on the corresponding functions that are displayed in the CosIng database and where relevant on other information at the disposal of the EC.  Some substances may have more than one function.  The EC notes that the catalog “has an informative value only and is not in any case a list of authorised nanomaterials.”  The EC is required to update the catalog regularly and make it publicly available.