The 11th edition of the Perfumes & Cosmetics Congress organised by Cosmetic Valley was held in Chartres on 20 and 21 November 2013, just four months after the new Cosmetics Regulation went into effect. The hot topics were safety (cosmetic products, raw materials, and packaging), but the profession as a whole was also discussed in the context of changing regulations that are not always clear, necessary changes, and uncertainty about the legal framework of tomorrow.
In his opening speech, Marc-Antoine Jamet was happy to announce a record number of attendants: 512. But the good cheer was short-lived, as the Cosmetic Valley president interpreted this interest in the two days of conferences as a ‘sign of constantly changing regulations’ and a ‘questioning of the uncertainties around the regulatory framework’.
‘Companies need stability and time to make changes.’ declared Marc-Antoine Jamet. This seemed to be an indulgence in wishful thinking, however, because as he went on to list the main points, we were led to believe this will not be the case.
• ‘China is one of our largest markets,’ he began. ‘But in China, when the people in power change, the law changes.’ Proof lies in recent changes to the CFDA (China Food and Drug Administration), which regulates cosmetics. The CHMR (Cosmetic Hygiene Management Rule) has been completely rewritten, resulting in different statutes for local products vs. imported products, as well as the concept of ‘new ingredients’, which are subject to a murky registration process. Chinese regulations are a huge headache for companies that want to position themselves in this vast market.
• Marc-Antoine Jamet then …
