Council Directive of 27 July 1976 on the approximation of the laws of the Member States relating to cosmetic products (76/768/EEC) (repealed)

[F1 Article 6 U.K.

[F2 1. Member States shall take all measures necessary to ensure that cosmetic products may be marketed only if the container and packaging bear the following information in indelible, easily legible and visible lettering; the information mentioned in point (g) may, however, be indicated on the packaging alone:]

(a) the name or style and the address or registered office of the manufacturer or the person responsible for marketing the cosmetic product who is established within the Community. Such information may be abbreviated in so far as the abbreviation makes it generally possible to identify the undertaking. Member States may require that the country of origin be specified for goods manufactured outside the Community;

(b) the nominal content at the time of packaging, given by weight or by volume, except in the case of packaging containing less than five grams or five millilitres, free samples and single-application packs; for pre-packages normally sold as a number of items, for which details of weight or volume are not significant, the content need not be given provided the number of items appears on the packaging. This information need not be given if the number of items is easy to see from the outside or if the product is normally only sold individually;

[F3 (c) the date of minimum durability shall be indicated by the words: ‘ best used before the end of ’ followed by either:

• [F3 (c) the date itself, or

• details of where it appears on the packaging.

The date shall be clearly expressed and shall consist of either the month and year or the day, month and year in that order. If necessary, this information shall be supplemented by an indication of the conditions which must be satisfied to guarantee the stated durability.

Indication of the date of durability shall not be mandatory for cosmetic products with a minimum durability of more than 30 months. For such products, there shall be an indication of the period of time after opening for which the product can be used without any harm to the consumer. This information shall be indicated by the symbol given in Annex VIIIa followed by the period (in months and/or years);] ]

[F2 (d) particular precautions to be observed in use, especially those listed in the column ‘ Conditions of use and warnings which must be printed on the label ’ in Annexes III, IV, VI and VII, which must appear on the container and packaging, as well as any special precautionary information on cosmetic products for professional use, in particular in hairdressing. Where this is impossible for practical reasons, an enclosed leaflet, label, tape or card must contain that information to which the consumer is referred either by abbreviated information or the symbol given in Annex VIII, which must appear on the container and the packaging;]

[F1 (e) the batch number of manufacture or the reference for identifying the goods. Where this is impossible for practical reasons because the cosmetic products are too small, such information need appear only on the packaging;]

[F2 (f) the function of the product, unless it is clear from the presentation of the product;

[F3 (g) a list of ingredients in descending order of weight at the time they are added. That list shall be preceded by the word ‘ ingredients ’ . Where that is impossible for practical reasons, an enclosed leaflet, label, tape or card must contain the ingredients to which the consumer is referred either by abbreviated information or the symbol given in Annex VIII, which must appear on the packaging.

The following shall not, however, be regarded as ingredients:

• [F3 (g) impurities in the raw materials used,

• subsidiary technical materials used in the preparation but not present in the final product,

• materials used in strictly necessary quantities as solvents or as carriers for perfume and aromatic compositions.

Perfume and aromatic compositions and their raw materials shall be referred to by the word ‘ perfume ’ or ‘ aroma ’ . However, the presence of substances, the mention of which is required under the column ‘ other limitations and requirements ’ in Annex III, shall be indicated in the list irrespective of their function in the product.

Ingredients in concentrations of less than 1 % may be listed in any order after those in concentrations of more than 1 %.

Colouring agents may be listed in any order after the other ingredients, in accordance with the colour index number or denomination adopted in Annex IV. For decorative cosmetic products marketed in several colour shades, all colouring agents used in the range may be listed, provided that the words ‘ may contain ’ or the symbol ‘ +/- ’ are added.

An ingredient must be identified by the common name referred to in Article 7(2) or, failing that, by one of the names referred to in Article 5a(2), first indent.

In accordance with the procedure referred to in Article 10(2), the Commission may adapt the criteria and conditions set out in Commission Directive 95/17/EC of 19 June 1995 laying down detailed rules for the application of Council Directive 76/768/EEC as regards the non-inclusion of one or more ingredients on the list used for the labelling of cosmetic products (1) under which a manufacturer may, for reasons of trade secrecy, apply not to include one or more ingredients on the abovementioned list.]

Where it is impracticable, for reasons of size or shape, for the particulars referred to in points (d) and (g) to appear in an enclosed leaflet, those particulars shall appear on a label, tape or card which is enclosed or attached to the cosmetic product.

In the case of soap, bath balls and other small products where it is impraticable, for reasons of size or shape, for the particulars referred to in point (g) to appear on a label, tag, tape or card or in an enclosed leaflet, those particulars shall appear on a notice in immediate proximity to the container in which the cosmetic product is exposed for sale.]

[F1 2. For cosmetic products that are not pre-packaged, are packaged at the point of sale at the purchaser's request, or are pre-packaged for immediate sale, Member States shall adopt detailed rules for indication of the particulars referred to in paragraph 1.

3. Member States shall take all measures necessary to ensure that, in the labelling, putting up for sale and advertising of cosmetic products, text, names, trade marks, pictures and figurative or other signs are not used to imply that these products have characteristics which they do not have. [F4 [F2 Furthermore, any reference to testing on animals must state clearly whether the tests carried out involved the finished product and/or its ingredients.] ]

[F5 Furthermore, the manufacturer or the person responsible for placing the product on the Community market may take advantage, on the product packaging or in any document, notice, label, ring or collar accompanying or referring to the product, of the fact that no animal tests have been carried out only if the manufacturer and his suppliers have not carried out or commissioned any animal tests on the finished product, or its prototype, or any of the ingredients contained in it, or used any ingredients that have been tested on animals by others for the purpose of developing new cosmetic products. Guidelines shall be adopted in accordance with the procedure referred to in Article 10(2) and published in the Official Journal of the European Union . The European Parliament shall receive copies of the draft measures submitted to the Committee.] ]

Textual Amendments

F1 Inserted by Council Directive of 21 December 1988 (88/667/EEC).

F2 Inserted by Council Directive of 14 June 1993 (93/35/EEC).

F3 Substituted by Directive 2003/15/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 27 February 2003 amending Council Directive 76/768/EEC on the approximation of the laws of the Member States relating to cosmetic products (Text with EEA relevance).

F4 Deleted by Directive 2003/15/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 27 February 2003 amending Council Directive 76/768/EEC on the approximation of the laws of the Member States relating to cosmetic products (Text with EEA relevance).

F5 Inserted by Directive 2003/15/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 27 February 2003 amending Council Directive 76/768/EEC on the approximation of the laws of the Member States relating to cosmetic products (Text with EEA relevance).

(1)

[F2 [F3 OJ L 140, 23.6.1995, p. 26 .] ]

Textual Amendments

F2 Inserted by Council Directive of 14 June 1993 (93/35/EEC).

F3 Substituted by Directive 2003/15/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 27 February 2003 amending Council Directive 76/768/EEC on the approximation of the laws of the Member States relating to cosmetic products (Text with EEA relevance).