WRITTEN QUESTION E-1702/00 by Jonas Sjöstedt (GUE/NGL) to the Commission. Declaration of contents for perfume.
Date: 2000-05-29
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: cosmetic product, public health, scientific committee (EU), toxic substance

13.3.2001

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 81 E/75

These indications, decided in close cooperation with national administrations, aim to inform consumers in
clear and unequivocal terms. The common egg marketing standards have however not laid down terms or
production conditions for organic eggs.

(1) OJ L 121, 16.5.1991.
(2) OJ L 218, 1.8.1992.

(2001/C 81 E/091)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1702/00

by Jonas Sj(cid:246)stedt (GUE/NGL) to the Commission

(29 May 2000)

Subject: Declaration of contents for perfume

There are approximately 2500 different aromatic substances that can be combined to produce fragrances
for shampoo, perfumes and toothpastes etc. In early 1999, the German health and environment magazine,
OKO-TEST, claimed that their analyses showed that many of the best known perfumes in the world
contain substances which, when used in experiments on animals, had produced indications of liver
damage.

Is it not reasonable that
substances are used?

the declarations of contents for such goods should state which aromatic

Answer given by Mr Liikanen on behalf of the Commission

(30 June 2000)

The Commission is not aware of any aromatic substances that cause damage to the liver in humans when
used as fragrance compounds in cosmetic products on the European market. As its main objective is to
protect public health, Council Directive 76/768/EEC of 27 July 1976 on the approximation of the laws of
the Member States relating to cosmetic products (1) the (cid:145)Cosmetics Directive(cid:146), states as a general principle
that only cosmetic products that do not cause damage to human health can be put on the market.
Therefore cosmetic products can only contain safe ingredients. An ingredient which cannot be safely used
should be banned because the cosmetic product would not be safe anymore.

Under the Cosmetics Directive, the safety of ingredients, even those used only as fragrance compounds,
can be evaluated by the scientific committee. If, based on scientific data, the scientific committee is of the
opinion that the substance submitted is toxic for the human liver when used as a cosmetic ingredient, it
should be banned and to this end put in Annex II of the Directive. If the scientific committee considers
that such ingredient is safe up to a certain level, then its use should be restricted and this ingredient put in
Annex III. An ingredient which has been shown to cause damage to the human liver should be banned or
its use restricted to a level which ensures its safety and not merely (cid:145)declared(cid:146) on the label.

(1) OJ L 262, 27.9.1976.

(2001/C 81 E/092)

WRITTEN QUESTION P-1706/00

by Christa Randzio-Plath (PSE) to the Commission

Subject: Relocation of jobs as result of the granting of subsidies

(18 May 2000)

One objective which characterises regional economic development is the notion that structural change and
the resultant job losses must be cushioned by state aid. However, it is apparent that some undertakings are