Brussels complains of US trade restrictions on EU cosmetic exports
The European Commission has released a report highlighting US trade barriers that impede EU cosmetics exports to the US. Brussels and Washington have been discussing outstanding tariff and red tape problems through a Transatlantic Economic Council, but a new Commission-published US Barriers to Trade and Investment Report for 2008 stressed “trade barriers and differences that hinder trade and investment”.
The European Commission has released a report highlighting US trade barriers that impede EU cosmetics exports to the US. Brussels and Washington have been discussing outstanding tariff and red tape problems through a Transatlantic Economic Council, but a new Commission-published US Barriers to Trade and Investment Report for 2008 stressed “trade barriers and differences that hinder trade and investment”.
On cosmetics, Brussels complained notably about the continued failure to agree one International Nomenclature of Cosmetic Ingredients (INCI) name in EU and US regulations. For instance, the US requires the word ‘water’ on labels, not INCI’s standard ‘aqua’.
“The existence of multiple… names leads to barriers to international trade and increased potential for confusion for consumers,” says Brussels.
Another highlighted problem was America’s classification of certain cosmetics products (such as sun block) as off-the-counter medicines, while being regulated as cosmetics in the EU.
The Commission also highlighted that Washington only recognises SPF sunscreen up to 30+. In Europe, SPF 50+ is used.