THE LEGAL PROTECTION OF CONSUMER RIGHTS THROUGH THE STANDARDIZATION OF EUROPEAN LEGISLATION ON THE SAFETY OF COSMETIC PRODUCTS

Considering the concerns of the European Union to implement an internal market for cosmetic products which ensures, at the same time, a high level of human health protection, and that the European cosmetics sector is one of the industrial activities affected by counterfeiting, which could lead to increased risks to human health, this article examines how European horizontal legislation is applied in national legislation. This article aims to present the legal instruments available at EU level for consolidating the safety of cosmetic products and strengthening the surveillance of the cosmetic products introduced to the market, and for consumer protection, taking into account that to ensure effective control on the market is required a high degree of administrative cooperation between the competent authorities of the Member States. This article also aims to present the active role undertaken by the cosmetics industry in developing alternative testing methods within the Horizon 2020 Programme.