EU Responsible Person for Cosmetics

What is a Responsible Person?

EU Cosmetics Regulation 1223/2009 established the concept of a Responsible Person (RP) for cosmetic products:

“Only cosmetic products for which a legal or natural person is designated within the community as ‘responsible person’ shall be placed on the market.” (EU Regulation 1223/2009, Art.4.1.).

It is therefore mandatory to appoint a cosmetics Responsible Person in the EU to be able to place the products on the EU market. There has to be only one Responsible Person per product for the whole EU.

“In order to establish clear responsibilities, each cosmetic product should be linked to a responsible person established within the Community.” (EU Regulation 1223/2009).

“For the purpose of effective market surveillance, a product information file should be made readily accessible, at one single address within the Community, to the competent authority of the Member State where the file is located.” (EU Regulation 1223/2009)

Obligations of the Responsible Person:

The Responsible Person has to ensure compliance of the cosmetic products with the EU Cosmetics Regulation before they are placed on the EU market, and make sure that the products remain compliant with the Regulation while they are on the market.

“For each cosmetic product placed on the market, the responsible person shall ensure compliance with the relevant obligations set out in this Regulation.” (EU Regulation 1223/2009, Article 4.2.)

The obligations of the cosmetics Responsible Person are described in the Article 5 of the Regulation.

“Responsible persons shall ensure compliance with Articles 3, 8, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, Article 19(1), (2) and (5), as well as Articles 20, 21, 23 and 24.” (EU Regulation 1223/2009/EC, Article 5.1.)

Therefore, the Responsible Person has to provide or ensure the following:

  • Registered address in the EU where the Product Information File is kept readily accessible to the local competent authority in a language easily understood by that competent authority for inspection even 10 years after the last batch of the product has been placed on the market.
  • Product claims substantiation.
  • Correct cosmetic product labelling
  • Product Information File (PIF) compliance with the regulation, that the products were produced according to Good Manufacturing Practices (GMPs), that the safety assessment has been conducted, etc.
  • CPNP notification of cosmetic products.
  • Communication of any undesirable or serious undesirable effects to the competent authorities.
  • In case of non-conformity of the product with the EU regulation, take any appropriate measures including recall, removal of the products or taking corrective action to bring that product into conformity. At the request of the competent authorities, the Responsible Person must cooperate with the former to eliminate the risk posed by cosmetic products which they are the Responsible Person for.