They were expected, they were already known in broad outline and were confirmed by Regulation 655/2013 “laying down Common Criteria for the justification of claims used in relation to cosmetic products”, dated 10 July 2013 and applicable as from 11 July. Reminder of the principles.
This Regulation is the result of cooperative work between the European Commission and the Member States, induced by Article 20 of the Cosmetics Regulation, which states that “In the labelling, making available on the market and advertising of cosmetic products, text, names, trademarks, pictures and figurative or other signs shall not be used to imply that these products have characteristics or functions which they do not have.”
In other words, claims must not be misleading. This is the general, framing principle.
In its Recitals, Regulation 655/2013 justifies this principle by specifying that “end users” – meaning consumers, but also hairdressers or beauticians who use cosmetic products at work – “are faced with a wide diversity of claims relating to the function, content and effects of a cosmetic product. As cosmetic products play such a big part in end users’ lives, it is important to ensure that the information conveyed to them through such claims is useful, understandable and reliable, and that it enables them to take informed decisions and to choose the products that best suit their needs and expectations”.
Everything is said: “the main objective of laying down Common Criteria is to guarantee a high level of protection for …
