Colipa Changes Its Name

Colipa Changes Its Name

• The European Cosmetics Association, formerly named “Colipa,” will now be called “Cosmetics Europe – The Personal Care Association.” The association has been representing European cosmetic companies and national associations for 50 years. According to the group, the name change comes at a time when the European cosmetics industry represents one-third of the global market, across the entire range of personal care products. In Europe, this industry employs 1.7 million people either directly or indirectly, including about 17,000 scientists. “Cosmetics Europe – The Personal Care Association” works with 18 multinational companies, 27 national associations and 4000 SMEs consumers.

IFRANA Joins Safe Cosmetics Alliance

• The International Fragrance Association North America (IFRANA) is joining the Safe Cosmetics Alliance and its efforts in supporting new legislation to help safety regulations keep pace with scientific and technological advancements in personal care products. The Alliance is working to modernize the industry’s US cosmetic product safety laws, according to Alliance officials.

The US-based coalition supports science-backed federal legislation that would strengthen US Food & Drug Administration (FDA) oversight of the industry, increase transparency and enhance existing consumer safeguards. The industry has been in discussions with members of Congress to encourage introduction of such a bill.

The Alliance also includes the Professional Beauty Association (PBA), Independent Cosmetic Manufacturers & Distributors (ICMAD), Direct Selling Association (DSA) and the Personal Care Products Council (PCPC).

Personal Care Product Council Increases Lobbying Efforts

• The Personal Care Products Council spent $180,000 lobbying the federal government in the third quarter, an increase of 20% over 2010 and 13% more than it spent in Q2 of 2011.The increase was attributed to the Safe Cosmetics Act which, if passed, will have cosmetics companies register with the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and report on adverse health effects associated with their products. The agency would be able to recall cosmetics products, and the Department of Health and Human Services would randomly test cosmetics for harmful ingredients. Product labels also would be more strictly regulated.

Supporters say the bill would protect consumers by aligning safety regulations for cosmetics with those for food and medicine, while the industry group says such rules would overwhelm the FDA with “useless information” and destroy the industry’s “ability to create innovative products and employ thousands of Americans.”

The industry group said it also lobbied on free trade agreements with Colombia, South Korea and Panama, which President Obama signed into law in October. The group’s third-quarter lobbying disclosure report was filed with the House clerk’s office on Oct. 18, 2011.