Your EU Responsible Person for cosmetics under Regulation (EC) No 1223/2009

Selling Korean cosmetics (K-beauty) in the EU

Korean skincare is popular with EU consumers, but a product registered or sold legally in Korea still needs its own EU compliance route before it can be sold in the EU.

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EU Responsible Person required EU ingredient annexes apply Functional claims need evidence CPNP before the first sale

What changes when a K-beauty product enters the EU

A Responsible Person established in the EU instead of the Korean brand owner
A new safety assessment under Annex I of Regulation (EC) No 1223/2009
A check of every ingredient against the EU annexes, which differ from Korean rules
Claim evidence under Regulation (EU) No 655/2013
An EU-compliant label and a CPNP notification

Ingredients that need attention

Brightening products deserve an early review: arbutin, alpha-arbutin and kojic acid now have concentration limits and conditions in Annex III following Regulation (EU) 2024/996, and hydroquinone is not permitted in skin products. Sun care must use UV filters listed in Annex VI, which is not the same list as in Korea, and SPF claims follow Commission Recommendation 2006/647/EC.

Functional cosmetics and claims

Korea has a separate "functional cosmetics" category for products such as whitening, anti-wrinkle and sun protection products. The EU has no equivalent category: these are ordinary cosmetic products, and every claim - "brightening", "anti-wrinkle", "SPF 50+" - must be supported by evidence kept in the PIF.

Packaging

Korean packs usually need an EU label: the Responsible Person's address, country of origin, PAO or durability, batch number, INCI list and the mandatory information in the languages of the Member States where you sell. Sheet masks and multi-component sets need particular care with how the information fits on the pack.

Frequently asked questions

Is a Korean functional cosmetics approval valid in the EU?

No. The EU has no functional cosmetics category. The product needs an EU safety assessment, a PIF with claim evidence and a CPNP notification.

Can I sell a Korean sunscreen in the EU?

Yes, if all its UV filters are listed in Annex VI and it has an EU safety assessment, SPF test evidence and a CPNP notification.

Do brightening ingredients have limits in the EU?

Some do. Arbutin, alpha-arbutin and kojic acid have limits and conditions in Annex III following Regulation (EU) 2024/996, and hydroquinone is not allowed in skin products.

Check whether you need an EU Responsible Person

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