Brussels (Brussels Morning Newspaper) October 24, 2026 – The European Parliament has definitively adopted legislation providing cosmetics manufacturers with extended timelines to withdraw products containing hazardous substances from the market, following a plenary vote in Strasbourg that establishes staggered deadlines, exemption procedures, and regulatory compromises concerning carcinogenic, mutagenic, or toxic materials.
Legislative Adoption and Background of the Omnibus VI Chemistry Text
The European Parliament definitively adopted legislation on Thursday, October 22, 2026, designed to give manufacturers more time to withdraw cosmetics containing certain hazardous substances from the market. The text, officially known as Omnibus VI Chemistry, reflects a political compromise reached by the European Parliament, the Council of the European Union, and the European Commission on June 17, 2026.
The legislation forms part of a broader series of measures intended to simplify business operations within the European Union. Although less ambitious than the initial proposal submitted by the European Commission, the text was approved by Members of the European Parliament during a plenary session held in Strasbourg, France. The measure secured broad support, passing with 477 votes in favour, 59 against, and 41 abstentions.
Staggered Deadlines and Market Withdrawal Framework
Under the newly adopted rules, the cosmetics industry is granted greater operational flexibility regarding products containing substances classified as carcinogenic, mutagenic, or toxic to reproduction (CMR). Rather than adhering to the current uniform 18-month period, the legislation introduces staggered deadlines for removing non-compliant items from circulation.
When a substance is banned or restricted and the manufacturer chooses not to seek an exemption, the company is given six months to stop placing the product on the market and twelve months to sell off existing stocks.
Exemption Procedures and Scientific Evaluation
Beauty companies retain the option to apply for an exemption through a designated scientific committee. Such requests must be submitted within three months of the new CMR classification taking effect.
The regulatory framework outlines distinct outcomes based on the scientific committee’s evaluation:
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If experts determine the product is unsafe, manufacturers are granted three months to stop marketing it and nine months to remove it from store shelves.
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If the product is considered safe but suitable alternatives are available, companies may continue marketing it for two years and are given three years to clear existing inventory from store shelves.
These provisions provide the cosmetics industry with more adaptable timelines, although the final deadlines remain shorter than those initially tabled by the European Commission.
Rejection of Differentiated Use and Consumer Reactions
During the legislative process, the European Commission had initially considered differentiating between CMR substances according to their intended application. This approach would have potentially permitted carcinogenic substances in products applied directly to the skin, even while maintaining prohibitions on products intended for oral use or inhalation. Both the European Parliament and member states firmly opposed this distinction, ensuring that oral CMRs remain entirely banned.
The compromise legislation has drawn mixed responses from consumer advocacy groups. Agustín Reyna of the European Organisation of Consumers (BEUC), a federation representing national consumer associations, commented on the outcome of the legislative process.
“The European institutions managed to avoid the worst, as the final agreement drops the most problematic elements of the initial proposal,”
However, he expressed reservations regarding the extended presence of certain formulations in domestic environments.
“This agreement means that toothpastes, deodorants, and lipsticks containing toxic ingredients will remain in people’s homes for longer. This is bad news, given that more than four in five European consumers are concerned about the impact of harmful chemicals on their health and the environment,”
he emphasized.
