On 8th July 2026, the European Commission (EC) notified the World Trade Organization (WTO) of a draft amendment to the EU Cosmetics Regulation (EC) 1223/2009.
Those amendments will include new entries into Annex II, II and V, including bans of several substances newly classified as carcinogenic, mutagenic or toxic for reproduction (CMR) according to EU Regulation (EC) 1272/2008 (CLP) and Delegated Regulation (EU) 2025/1222.
Furthermore, additional bans, revised entries and new restrictions are added to the Annexes II, III and V based on SCCS Opinions published in 2025 and 2026.
New entries in Annex II
| Chemical name/INN | CAS No. |
|---|---|
| 2-ethylhexanoic acid, monoester with propane-1,2-diol | 85114-00-7 |
| α,α’-propylenedinitrilodi-o-cresol | 94-91-7 |
| ozone | 10028-15-6 |
| dinitrogen oxide | 10024-97-2 |
| 9-octadecenoic acid (Z)-, sulfonated, potassium salts [1]; Reaction products of fatty acids, C18 (unsaturated) alkyl with sulfur trioxide, potassium salts [2]; 9(or 10)-sulphooctadecanoic acid, potassium salt [3] | 68609-93-8 [1]; – [2]; 67968-63-2 [3] |
| 2,3-epoxypropyl isopropyl ether | 4016-14-2 |
| tetrahydrofurfuryl methacrylate | 2455-24-5 |
| trimethyl phosphate | 512-56-1 |
| fluoroethylene | 75-02-5 |
| 2-bromo-3,3,3-trifluoroprop-1-ene | 1514-82-5 |
| 2-phenylpropene; α-methylstyrene | 98-83-9 |
Substances considered as not safe for cosmetics according to the SCCS:
| Chemical/INCI name | CAS No. |
|---|---|
| Basic Brown 16 | 26381-41-9 |
| Basic Blue 99 | 68123-13-7 |
| Prostaglandines and their analogues | – |
Substances considered as not safe for cosmetics according to the SCCS, due to potential endocrine-disrupting properties:
| INCI name | CAS No. |
|---|---|
| Benzophenone-1 | 131-56-5 |
| Benzophenone-2 | 131-55-5 |
New and revised entries in Annex III
Butylated Hydroxyanisole (BHA) (CAS No. 25013-16-5) was assessed by SCCS due to concerns regarding the potential endocrine disrupting properties. It was concluded that BHA is safe for use in both leave-on and rinse-off products up to a maximum concentration of 0,07 %.
Cannabidiol (CBD) (CAS No. 13956-29-1) is not regarded as banned ingredient according to Annex II-306 (narcotics) and will be restricted with a maximum concentration of 0,19 %, and a maximum presence of THC of 0,00025 % (2,5 ppm) in the final product. See here for more information.
Hydroxyapatite in nano form (CAS No. 1306-06-5) will remain restricted for Toothpaste and Mouthwash with significantly increased maximum concentrations (Annex III-372):
• Toothpaste: 10 % → 29,5 %
• Mouthwash: 0,465 % → 10 %
Revised and deleted entries in Annex V
Propylparaben and Butylparaben (CAS Nos. 94-13-3 and 94-26-8) were both regulated under a single entry (Annex V-12a). This entry will be separated into two entries, Propylparaben (No. 12a) and Butylparaben (No. 12b). In addition to the existing restrictions (max. 0,14 %), Butylparaben will be no longer allowed in sprayable products.
The mercury-containing substances Thiomersal (CAS No. 54-64-8) and Phenylmercuric salts (CAS Nos. 62-38-4/94-43-9) were previously listed as preservatives for cosmetics under specific conditions (Annex V-16 and 17). Due to a potential risk to human health arising from the use of mercury compounds in cosmetic products, both entries shall be deleted. Furthermore, the “exception from the ban for the special cases included in Annex V” shall be deleted from the generic entry in Annex II-221 for mercury and its compounds.
Timelines
Final date of comments for the WTO notified amendment was on 6th September 2026, proposed date of adoption will be 4th quarter of 2026. For those substances classified as CMR according to Delegated Regulation (EU) 2025/1222, the bans will be applicable from the same date as those classifications, which is 1 February 2027.
For those cosmetic ingredients not linked to the classification as CMR according to Regulation (EU) 2025/1222, the cosmetics industry should be granted reasonable transitional periods to adapt to the new requirements.