In Brief

Drafted by the European Commission’s Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety and released July 6, the new Guidance on the Safety Assessment of Nanomaterials is intended to help firms comply with nanotechnology requirements under the 2009 recast of the European Cosmetics Directive Also see "Parliament Passes Updated Cosmetics Directive For All 27 European States" - HBW Insight, 30 March, 2009.. Starting in January 2013, firms will be required to inform the EC of all cosmetic products that contain nanomaterials six months before they are placed on the market and to provide the regulator with safety-assessment data. The guidance includes a checklist to help firms ensure that they are meeting data-reporting obligations, according to the notice. Also under the recast directive, which enters into force in July 2013, cosmetic products containing nanomaterials will be required to be labelled as such, with the name of the ingredient followed by “nano” in brackets. The EC says its nanotech guidance is likely to be updated regularly, the EC says. At its last meeting, the Cosmetic Ingredient Review Expert Panel debated its role in assessing the safety of nanomaterials in cosmetics Also see "CIR Panel Grapples With Safety Review Protocol For Nanomaterials" - HBW Insight, 18 June, 2012..