MANNHEIM, Germany—BDIH (Germany), BIOFORUM (Belgium), COSMEBIO & ECOCERT (France), ICEA (Italy) and SOIL ASSOCIATION (U.K.) announced the publication of COSMOS-standard, the new harmonized and most challenging European cosmetics organic and natural standard. The final version of the standard is available on its Web site. After six years of intensive work and an international public consultation of three months, the European Cosmetics Standards Working Group released the final outcome with the publication of COSMOS-standard. The objective of the new standard is ambitious and goes beyond the harmonization of minimum requirements for organic and natural cosmetics. Recognizing the challenges of maintaining the natural balance of the planet and the responsibility of the 1,000 certified companies they account for, the European group clearly shows its ambition to go further with the setting of an internationally accepted standard for organic and natural cosmetics.
“The long-term objective of COSMOS-standard is to actively contribute to establishing sustainable development by stimulating changes in production patterns and consumption practices,” said Riccardo Anouchinsky of ICEA.
Muriel Huybrechts of BIOFORUM added, “This implies promoting always more the use of products from organic agriculture, the responsible use of natural resources while respecting biodiversity and the environment.”
The market for organic and natural cosmetics is expanding and this is crucial for the benefit of all, from suppliers of raw materials, formulators to consumers to implement rules that enhance innovation. “This is why COSMOS-standard sets as well requirements for processing and manufacturing that must be clean and respectful of human health and environment by integrating for the first time in a Standard the principles of Green Chemistry," added Betty Santonnat of COSMEBIO.
“The European group will now be working on harmonizing the key points of the subsequent control plan and we expect to be able to start certifying according COSMOS-standard on September 2009,” said Valérie Lemaire of ECOCERT.
“Other certification/inspection bodies that are not members of the group will have the possibility to apply to use this standard. The procedure for application and authorization will be opened as from Sept. 30, 2009” said Francis Blake of SOIL ASSOCIATION.
“With such an important development, we consider vital to involve all key players of the field and for this reason we will open the COSMOS-standard up to new members via organizations of raw material suppliers, cosmetic laboratories and manufacturers as well as certifications bodies,” concluded Harald Dittmar of BDIH.