The Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety (SCCS) serves as the scientific advisory body to the European Commission, providing expert opinions on the safety of consumer products. The SCCS started their work in April 2016, which provides Opinions on health and safety risks (chemical, biological, mechanical and other physical risks) of non-food consumer products (e.g. cosmetic products and their ingredients, toys, textiles, clothing, personal care and household products) and services (e.g. tattooing, artificial sun tanning).
For the safety assessment of cosmetic ingredients, the SCCS issues four types of opinions: preliminary opinions open for comments, opinions being finalized, final opinions, and previous committee opinions.
- Preliminary Opinions open for comments:
The preliminary Opinions in this section have been developed by the SCCS on the basis of specific sets of data (dossiers) submitted by specific applicants (for example, industry, Member State authorities, etc.) to satisfy specific regulatory requirements. These preliminary Opinions have been recently approved and are now open for clarification/comment for a minimum period of 4 weeks (if possible, for eight weeks).
- Opinions being finalized:
The commenting period for the Opinions in this section has expired. Comments received during this period have been submitted to SCCS and will be discussed in the forthcoming working groups and plenary meetings with the view to finalizing the Opinions.
- Final Opinions:
Final Opinions cover colorant, fragrance, hair dyes, nanomaterial in cosmetic ingredients, preservatives, UV filters and others.
Regulatory Implications of the Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety (SCCS) Opinions
The Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety (SCCS) provides authoritative scientific opinions that underpin the implementation of the EU Cosmetics Regulation. These opinions support the development, amendment, and enforcement of relevant regulatory measures and restrictions. Furthermore, the SCCS conclusions offer critical guidance to the cosmetics industry, particularly in the areas of ingredient safety assessment and regulatory compliance for market access. It is strongly recommended that cosmetic companies closely monitor and refer to SCCS opinions to ensure that their products comply with the latest safety standards and regulatory requirements within the EU. Staying informed of SCCS assessments helps companies proactively adjust formulations, avoid the use of substances that may be subject to new restrictions or prohibitions, and facilitate smooth and compliant market entry into the European Union.
How to Search the Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety (SCCS) Opinions
Click here to search the Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety (SCCS) Opinions on GlobalCosIng.
Regulations and Standards
Regulation (EC) No 1223/2009 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 30 November 2009 on cosmetic products (recast)
Our Services
- EU Cosmetic Product Formula and Label Review
- EU Cosmetic Responsible Person
- Product Information File (PIF)
- EU Cosmetic Safety Assessment (CPSR)
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