==================================================== EU COSMETIC LABEL COMPLIANCE CHECKLIST Per EC Regulation 1223/2009 Free resource by LabelCheck — Updated March 2026 ==================================================== Use this checklist before sending any cosmetic product label to print. Every item below is a mandatory requirement under EU law. ---------------------------------------------------- 1. MANDATORY LABEL INFORMATION (Art. 19) ---------------------------------------------------- [ ] Product name / function clearly stated Must be unambiguous to the consumer (e.g. "hand cream", "shampoo"). If the function is not obvious from the product name, it must be stated separately. [ ] Responsible Person: name + full EU postal address Required for every product sold in the EU. Post-Brexit: a UK address alone is no longer valid for the EU market. [ ] Country of origin (if manufactured outside EU) Required for non-EU manufactured products — "Made in [country]". [ ] Net content in metric units (ml or g) Include the "e" mark for pre-packed products >5g/5ml. [ ] Batch number / lot code Must appear on both the container and outer packaging for traceability. Fines up to EUR 90,000 in some member states. [ ] PAO symbol (Period After Opening) OR Best Before Date (BBD) BBD required if shelf life < 30 months. PAO symbol (open jar icon, e.g. "12M") if shelf life > 30 months. ---------------------------------------------------- 2. INCI INGREDIENT LIST (Art. 19(1)(g)) ---------------------------------------------------- [ ] Full INCI ingredient list present, preceded by the word "Ingredients" Must use the exact heading "Ingredients" — not "Contents" or "Composition". [ ] All ingredients use correct INCI nomenclature Use standardised names — e.g. "Tocopherol" not "Vitamin E", "Aqua" not "Water". [ ] Listed in descending order of concentration By weight at the time of incorporation into the formulation. Ingredients under 1% may be listed in any order after the 1% cutoff. [ ] Colorants listed using CI (Colour Index) numbers Use format "CI 77891" not "Titanium Dioxide". [ ] Nanomaterials identified with [nano] suffix e.g. "Titanium Dioxide [nano]" — required since July 2013. [ ] Fragrances listed as "Parfum" or "Aroma" Individual allergens above threshold must still be named separately. ---------------------------------------------------- 3. ALLERGEN DECLARATIONS (Annex III) ---------------------------------------------------- [ ] All 80+ EU-listed fragrance allergens checked against thresholds Includes: Linalool, Limonene, Citronellol, Geraniol, Coumarin, Eugenol, Citral, Benzyl Alcohol, and 50+ others per Regulation 2023/1545. [ ] Leave-on products: allergens declared if > 0.001% (10 ppm) [ ] Rinse-off products: allergens declared if > 0.01% (100 ppm) [ ] Each allergen listed individually in the ingredient list Not hidden under "Parfum" — each must appear as a separate entry. ---------------------------------------------------- 4. WARNINGS & PRECAUTIONS (Art. 19(1)(f)) ---------------------------------------------------- [ ] All mandatory warnings and precautions for use included Product-specific warnings as required by Annexes III-VI. E.g. "Avoid contact with eyes", sunscreen SPF warnings, hair dye allergy warnings, aerosol safety warnings. [ ] Precautions displayed legibly on the product Must be clearly readable by the consumer at point of sale. ---------------------------------------------------- 5. CLAIMS COMPLIANCE (EC Reg 655/2013) ---------------------------------------------------- [ ] No medicinal or therapeutic claims "Cures eczema", "treats acne" = medicinal claim = product reclassified as medicine. [ ] All marketing claims are truthful and substantiated Must meet six common criteria: legal compliance, truthfulness, evidential support, honesty, fairness, informed decision-making. [ ] "Free from" claims not used for already-banned substances e.g. "paraben-free" is discouraged if parabens are banned in that product category. [ ] "Hypoallergenic", "dermatologically tested" etc. backed by evidence Requires documented testing per (EC) 655/2013 Art. 3. ---------------------------------------------------- 6. LANGUAGE REQUIREMENTS (Art. 19(5)) ---------------------------------------------------- [ ] Mandatory info in official language(s) of each target market English alone is rarely sufficient. Most member states require their own official language(s). [ ] Multi-language markets covered Belgium: French + Dutch + German. Finland: Finnish + Swedish. Check each target country's requirements. ---------------------------------------------------- 7. PACKAGING & RECYCLING SYMBOLS ---------------------------------------------------- [ ] Recycling / packaging symbols included where required France: Triman logo + Info-tri sorting instructions (mandatory since Jan 2022). Italy: material identification codes. Germany: Green Dot if applicable. [ ] PAO or hourglass symbol correctly formatted Use standardised EU symbols per ISO 11609 / EU guidelines. ---------------------------------------------------- 8. CPNP NOTIFICATION (Art. 13) ---------------------------------------------------- [ ] CPNP notification filed before placing product on EU market Submit via the Cosmetic Product Notification Portal at least 24 hours before launch. [ ] Product Information File (PIF) complete and accessible Must be kept at the Responsible Person's address and available to authorities for 10 years after the last batch. [ ] Cosmetic Product Safety Report (CPSR) documented Part A (safety data) + Part B (safety assessment by a qualified assessor) must be complete. ==================================================== SUMMARY: 29 CHECK ITEMS ==================================================== Sections: 1. Mandatory Label Info ........... 6 items 2. INCI Ingredient List ........... 6 items 3. Allergen Declarations .......... 4 items 4. Warnings & Precautions ......... 2 items 5. Claims Compliance .............. 4 items 6. Language Requirements .......... 2 items 7. Packaging & Recycling Symbols .. 2 items 8. CPNP Notification .............. 3 items ==================================================== Want to automate this entire checklist? LabelCheck audits your label against all EU regulations in 60 seconds. Upload your label, get a detailed pass/fail report with regulation references and actionable fixes. Try it for $9 --> https://buy.stripe.com/28E5kDgVAgvufaa2Xq5Ne08 No account needed. Results in under 60 seconds. https://labelcheck.nanocorp.app/checklist ====================================================