The final opinion of ECHA’s Socio-Economic Analysis Committee, published on 1 March, is largely unchanged from its July 2020 draft opinion with regard to microplastic in cosmetic products. That means industry may have to convince EU member state authorities that the restriction proposal has a serious proportionality problem.

Cosmetics Europe Director-General John Chave says whichever way the European Commission proceeds under its recently released sustainable chemicals strategy, there almost certainly will need to be changes to the Cosmetic Products Regulation. Chave counts the strategy among “the biggest legislative policy proposals affecting our sector probably ever.”

The European Chemicals Agency's Board of Appeal finds that REACH requires ingredient registrants to perform animal studies, even if their substances are used exclusively in cosmetic products. Historically opposed industry and animal welfare groups both may lose under the board’s decisions.