EU Safety Gate Alerts July 2023

Update on EC product safety alerts and reports of cosmetic products posing a risk to the health and safety of consumers.

The European Commission Safety Gate is used by EU market surveillance authorities to notify unsafe and noncompliant products, including those that present a risk to the health and safety of consumers.  The online system serves as a single rapid alert system for dangerous consumer products.  All non-food products intended for consumers or likely under reasonably foreseeable conditions to be used by consumers are included within the scope, with the exception of pharmaceutical and medical products.  This information is circulated among the competent authorities, through a network of national contact points.

CTPA regularly checks the notifications made via the rapid alert system website.  For information, below are recent notifications made by the Member States.

Italy

Hair dye, hairspray, hair conditioner, eau de toilette, perfume, soap, shower gel, and sunscreen with chemical risk as they contain 2-(4-tert- butylbenzyl) propionaldehyde (BMHCA).  The products have been banned from the market.

Malta

Deodorant, shower gel, and shampoo with chemical risk as they contain 2-(4-tert- butylbenzyl) propionaldehyde (BMHCA).  The products have been withdrawn from the market.

Sweden

Skin lightening oil with chemical risk as it contains hydroxyisohexyl 3-cyclohexene carboxaldehyde (HICC).  The product was rejected at the border.

Skin lightening cream with chemical risk as it contains mercury and hydroquinone.  The product was rejected at the border.

Skin lightening cream with chemical risk as it contains clobetasol propionate.  The product was rejected at the border.

Perfume with chemical risk as it contains 2-(4-tert- butylbenzyl) propionaldehyde (BMHCA).  The product was rejected at the border.

The Netherlands

Nail polish with chemical risk as it contains N-Methylpyrrolidone.  The product has been withdrawn from the market.

Face paint with chemical risk as it contains the colourant pigment yellow 12 (CI 21090).  The product has been withdrawn from the market.

Hungary

Perfume, eau de toilette, aftershave, deodorant, shaving foam, hand cream, body lotion, after-sun gel, hairspray, and hair tonic with chemical risk as it contains 2-(4-tert- butylbenzyl) propionaldehyde (BMHCA).  The products have been banned from the market.

Cyprus

Perfume with chemical risk as it contains 2-(4-tert- butylbenzyl) propionaldehyde (BMHCA).  The product has been withdrawn from the market.

Czechia

Perfume with chemical risk as it contains 2-(4-tert- butylbenzyl) propionaldehyde (BMHCA).  The product was rejected at the border.

Spain

Make-up set with chemical risk as it contains a mixture of the preservatives methylisothiazolinone (MI) and methylchloroisothiazolinone (MCI).  The product has been withdrawn from the market.