Cosmetic companies win backing of EU

THE EU has decided that multi-billion dollar cosmetic companies need not tell consumers if their beauty products have caused problems or contain dangerous ingredients because it would be too expensive.

Faced with a choice between forcing companies to give the information on leaflets issued with the goods, or leaving it to the public to find out for themselves, the industry won out.

The European Commissioner responsible for industry, Gunter Verheugen, decided to put the onus on the consumer to request the information.

Announcing his decision he said it made life easier for consumers and industry. “The alternative was for industry to print expensive pamphlets,” his spokesperson said.

The result is that consumers must write, phone or pose a question on the website of the company producing the cosmetics about specific products.

They can ask if any adverse or allergic reactions to a product have been reported to the company; what this reaction has been and how frequently it happened; what ingredients are in the product though not their precise quantity; the amount of any ingredient classified as dangerous, which usually means it can be explosive, flammable, toxic, corrosive or irritant.

Mr Verheugen, announcing the guidelines in Brussels yesterday said, “Consumers can have access to full information on composition and on undesirable effects of cosmetics. This transparency helps them to make their choice in the large range of products present in the internal market.”

It will be up to each member state to ensure companies producing the cosmetics and importing them from outside the EU abide by the guidelines.