WRITTEN QUESTION E-0949/01

by Christopher Huhne (ELDR) to the Commission

(28 March 2001)

Subject: Musk labelling

Is the Commission satisfied with the current labelling requirement of parfum for artificial musks used in perfumes, air fresheners and washing powders?

Does it agree that this may cover musks known to mimic hormones and which persist and accumulate in body fat?

Answer given by Mr Liikanen on behalf of the Commission

(8 June 2001)

The current provisions of the pertinent legislation on cosmetic products, Council Directive 76/768/EEC of 27 July 1976(1), require the products to be labelled with the generic term perfumes to refer to the individual fragrance substances making up a perfume, including artificial musks.

The Commission is aware of published reports questioning the safety profile of certain artificial musks and in particular their potential for bioaccumulation and hormone mimicking effects.

Concerning musks in cosmetic products, the use of musk ambrette, musk moskene and musk tibetene is prohibited. Furthermore, the Scientific Committee on Cosmetics and Non-Food Products (SCCNFP) has adopted opinions on the use of the two most commonly used musks, musk ketone and musk xylene. It concluded that these musks can be safely used in cosmetic products provided their concentration is below a certain concentration limit. At the same time however, the SCCNFP identified the need for an evaluation of consumer exposure from other sources e.g. laundry detergents and the need for more data concerning the long-term toxicity effects of these materials.

Concerning washing powders, the use of musks in perfumes contained in washing powders falls under the provisions of the Directive 1999/45/EC of the Parliament and of the Council of 31 May 1999 concerning the approximation of the laws, regulations and administrative provisions of the Member States relating to the classification, packaging and labelling of dangerous preparation(2).

The above should be revised when the risk assessment of these two substances, carried out in the framework of Council Regulation (EEC) No 793/93 of 23 March 1993, on the evaluation and control of the risks of existing substances(3), is finalised. As these are comprehensive evaluations of all available data on the toxicity and the effects of chemicals, covering all exposure situations from all known uses, the Commission would expect to have an in-depth analysis of the potential endocrine disrupting and persistence and bio-accumulation properties of musks. Any risk management recommendations, stemming from the conclusions of these risk assessments will provide the Commission with the scientific basis to propose further measures as appropriate.

(1) OJ L 262, 27.9.1976.

(2) OJ L 200, 30.7.1999.

(3) OJ L 84, 5.4.1993.