Cosmetics
The Swiss chemicals legislation – avoiding trade barriers, seizing opportunities
The Swiss chemicals legislation protects health and the environment. It is aligned with EU regulations as part of an “autonomous implementation”, i.e. without the legal obligation to adopt EU provisions, as an EU or EEA member state must. Unless there is an obligation to do so, for example as a result of an MRA with the EU. When exporting to the EU, the specific regulations must be observed. Together with its partner associations, the SKW advocates independent, pragmatic solutions that nevertheless ensure the protection goals.
The aim of the Swiss chemicals legislation is to ensure a high level of protection for health and the environment while avoiding trade barriers with the EU. The level of protection for the population and the environment in Switzerland is comprehensively guaranteed by the currently valid legal framework and is on a par with that in the EU member states. The Swiss chemicals legislation includes a registration requirement for new substances, information requirements for substances of very high concern and an authorization requirement, as in the EU.
However, the Swiss chemicals legislation does not automatically follow EU law, as is the case with cosmetics legislation, for example. Any changes to EU law, and there are many of these every year, must be incorporated into the Swiss legislation in the regular way. The main task of the SKW is to avoid technical barriers to trade, as these hinder the free movement of goods.
In addition, it is also possible for Switzerland to take its own considerations into account when “autonomously” implementing EU law and to issue simpler and more pragmatic regulations than the EU without jeopardizing the level of protection. The SKW, which is very familiar with the concerns of its members, wants to help the authorities and offers to engage in dialogue.
The cosmetics, detergents and cleaning agents industry in Switzerland is active worldwide. Around 60 percent of the chemicals exported from Switzerland are purchased in EU countries. All these exports to the EU must meet the requirements of EU chemicals legislation. Other export countries also have specific regulations that exporters must comply with.
And it is not only the legislation of the respective export countries that determines which regulatory standards a product must meet. Customers along the value chain, investors and NGOs also have a say.