EU Extends Ecolabel Criteria

EU Extends Ecolabel Criteria

The new EU Ecolabel criteria has recently been updated and has been officially adopted by the Commission on 22 October 2021 in Commission Decision (EU) 2021/1870. Previous Ecolabel requirements only applied to rinse-off cosmetics, but the updated rules expand the scope to cover all cosmetic products, including leave-on cosmetics.

What are the updates ?

The Ecolabel criteria bans substances that are carcinogenic, mutagenic or toxic to reproduction, substances of very high concern, certain nanomaterials, substances identified or suspected of having endocrine disrupting properties, microplastics, phthalates and perfluorinated or polyfluorinated substances, bans fragrances in products targeted at children and some specific substances UV filters that could harm coral reefs, and extends the list of restricted allergens.

The number of EU Ecolabel products has continued to increase especially during the pandemic, showing a strong interest in green products among consumers.

With this new set of rules, the EU Ecolabel wants to ensure sustainability and independent verification, in particular tackling greenwashing, which is a growing concern in the industry, considering that three out of four products sold in Europe are displaying an environmental label or claim.