EU cosmetics compliance: CPNP, safety report and UK notification

What our EU cosmetics compliance service covers

• CPNP notification: we register each product on the EU Cosmetic Products Notification Portal before it goes on sale
• Product documentation: the PIF (Product Information File) and the CPSR (Cosmetic Product Safety Report), prepared with external regulatory experts from our formula and production data
• EU Responsible Person: available through our partners if you are not established in the EU or prefer not to take on the role
• UK market: SCPN notification and UK Responsible Person available through partners
• Compliant labels: we check that the pack carries all mandatory information, designed by our team in the graphic design and labels service
• Substantiated claims: testing entrusted to external laboratories chosen according to the claim
• Batch testing: every batch tested by our laboratory and by accredited external laboratories, including for heavy metals
• Other markets: Canada, the USA, Mexico and Australia through specialist partners

Regulatory approval is one of the six phases of our process. It is completed before production, so your products leave the plant ready to sell. The full path is on our how we work page.

Regulation (EC) No 1223/2009 in brief

It is the EU law on cosmetic products, applying in every member state. It sets out what may go into a cosmetic, how it must be manufactured and labelled, and who is answerable for it. The official text is on EUR-Lex.

The points that matter most to you:

• Safety: every cosmetic must be safe under normal conditions of use, and safety must be assessed before it is placed on the market
• Responsible Person: every product needs a natural or legal person established in the EU who is answerable for it
• Good manufacturing practice: production must follow GMP. We manufacture according to GMP ISO 22716
• Product Information File: a file with all the technical information must be kept for each product
• Notification: the product must be notified on the CPNP before it is placed on the market
• Labelling: some information is mandatory and must appear in the language of each country of sale. See our guide to EU cosmetic labelling

CPNP notification service

The CPNP (Cosmetic Products Notification Portal) is the European Commission’s portal where cosmetics sold in the EU are registered. A single notification covers every EU member state, and health authorities and poison centres can consult the information.

The notification includes, among other things, the product category, the Responsible Person, the presence of certain substances, and the label. We carry it out for every SKU. For a step-by-step explanation, read our guide to CPNP notification.

PIF and Cosmetic Product Safety Report

The PIF gathers everything that shows the cosmetic is safe and compliant: the product description, the safety report, the manufacturing method, proof of the claimed effects and any test data. It must be kept for ten years after the last batch is placed on the market, and made available to the authorities on request.

The core of the PIF is the CPSR, signed by a qualified safety assessor: an expert with specific training, for example in pharmacy or toxicology. The assessor reviews ingredients, impurities, exposure and the way the product will be used.

We prepare the technical documentation with external experts, starting from the data we know better than anyone: the formula, the raw materials, the process and the test results of every batch. To see what a PIF contains, read our guide to the Product Information File.

EU Responsible Person

The Responsible Person guarantees that the cosmetic complies with the Regulation, and their name and address appear on the label. It is usually the brand owner, or someone the brand owner appoints in writing, and must be established in the EU.

If your company is based outside the EU, in the UK, Switzerland or further afield, or if you simply prefer not to take on the role, we can provide an EU Responsible Person through our partners. When we assess your project, we explain how to set this up in your case. Importers and distributors who bring products into the EU will find more on our page for wholesalers and distributors.

Selling in the UK after Brexit

Since Brexit, cosmetics sold in Great Britain follow the UK Cosmetics Regulation, the British version of Regulation 1223/2009. The principles are the same, but the procedures are separate:

• SCPN notification: products must be notified on the UK portal (Submit Cosmetic Product Notification) instead of, or as well as, the CPNP
• UK Responsible Person: a person or company based in the UK, whose address appears on the label for products sold there
• Product file and safety report: required in the UK too, kept available for the UK authorities

We do not notify in the UK directly: SCPN notification and the UK Responsible Person are arranged through our partners, using the documentation we prepare for the EU. Northern Ireland follows specific rules, which we look at with you if it is part of your plan. Official guidance is on gov.uk.

Documented quality

Our quality management system is ISO 9001:2015 certified by Dasa-Rägister, and we manufacture according to GMP ISO 22716. Every batch has a code that traces it back to raw materials and the tests performed. Read more on our quality and certifications page.

Frequently asked questions