Israel proposes a regulation for cosmetics

A draft Regulation governing the creation, marketing, and import of cosmetic items has been published by Israel's Ministry of Health. Israel sent the draft to the WTO on January 24.  Comments are accepted until 25 March and the draft does not indicate a timeline for implementation.

There are annexes with a list of 329 banned ingredients and 1,683 chemicals that cannot be used in cosmetic products; it also contains affirmative lists of UV filters, preservatives, and color additives that are allowed.  With a few minor exceptions, these are virtually identical to those in the annexes to the EU cosmetic products Regulation.

The Israeli list is stricter than the EU one as some chemicals on Israel's list of prohibited substances are not listed on the EU equivalent list. These include; troxerutin, SD alcohol 40, and desmedipham.

The nation's proposal also complies with EU regulations on testing procedures and guidelines for designating a responsible individual for each cosmetic item.