What is CPNP?
The Cosmetic Products Notification Portal (CPNP) is the European Commission’s free online system for notifying cosmetic products, required by the EU Cosmetics Regulation (EC) No 1223/2009. Before a cosmetic product is sold in the EU, its Responsible Person must submit information about it in the CPNP. One notification covers all EU countries, so there is no need to notify each country separately.
Notification gives authorities and poison centres quick access to product information, for example in case of a health emergency. It is not an approval: the Responsible Person remains fully responsible for the product’s safety and compliance.
Core principle: No Responsible Person and no CPNP notification means the product can’t legally be sold in the EU, however good it is.
The Responsible Person
Every cosmetic product placed on the EU market must have a Responsible Person established in the EU. For an EU manufacturer that is usually the manufacturer itself; for imported products it is the importer, or a person appointed in writing. Non-EU brands, including those from the UK, Korea and the US, typically appoint a specialist Responsible Person service. The Responsible Person’s name and address must appear on the label.
What you need before notifying
Product Information File (PIF)
A file kept at the Responsible Person’s address, containing the product description, safety report, manufacturing method, proof of claimed effects and any animal testing data.
Why it matters: Authorities can ask for it at any time, and it must be available in a language they understand.
Cosmetic Product Safety Report (CPSR)
A safety assessment signed by a qualified safety assessor, covering ingredients, exposure and safety.
Why it matters: It is the core of the PIF, and the product can’t be notified without it.
EU-compliant label
The label must show the Responsible Person, the ingredient list using INCI names, the function, the batch number, the durability date or period after opening, precautions, and the country of origin for imported products.
Watch out for: Label errors are a common reason for product withdrawals.
Distributors and translations
When a distributor makes a product available in another EU country and translates any part of the label on its own initiative, the distributor must also submit certain information through the CPNP. Products containing nanomaterials need a separate notification six months before sale.
CPNP and fulfilment
- Fulfilment centres often ask for proof of CPNP notification before receiving cosmetics, and marketplaces may ask for it before listing.
- Batch numbers and durability dates on cosmetics make FEFO picking and batch tracking important, especially for recalls.
- Many cosmetics are also subject to transport rules, for example perfumes and aerosols, which are dangerous goods.
Example: A Korean haircare brand appoints a Responsible Person in the Netherlands, which reviews the formulas, commissions the safety reports and notifies 12 products in the CPNP. The Dutch address goes on every label, and the brand’s fulfilment centre receives the notification references before the first stock arrives.
Frequently asked questions
Is CPNP notification an approval?
No. It is a notification. The Responsible Person remains liable for safety and compliance, and authorities can check products after they are on sale.
Does CPNP cost anything?
The portal is free. Costs come from the safety assessment, the Responsible Person service and any label changes.
Can a non-EU brand notify in the CPNP?
Not directly. Notification is made by the Responsible Person, who must be established in the EU.
Is CPNP valid for the UK?
No. Since Brexit, cosmetics sold in Great Britain are notified in the UK’s own SCPN system, with a UK Responsible Person.
