RESPONSIBLE PERSON IN THE UNITED KINGDOM
The Responsible Person is a key figure in the UK cosmetics market, ensuring that products comply with specific regulations and guaranteeing the safety of consumers. Having a competent and knowledgeable PR is essential for any company wishing to operate in the UK market.
Who is the Responsible Person in the UK?
The Responsible Person (RP) in the UK is a natural or legal person established within the UK, appointed by the manufacturer, importer or distributor of a cosmetic product. This RP acts as the legal representative before the UK authorities and is responsible for ensuring that the product complies with UK-specific safety and labelling regulations.
Importance of PR in the UK
La figura del RP es esencial para garantizar que los productos cosméticos comercializados en el Reino Unido son seguros y cumplen con las normativas locales. Este rol es crucial tanto para proteger a los consumidores como para asegurar que las empresas cumplan con sus obligaciones legales, evitando sanciones y daños a la reputación de la marca.
Appointment of RP in the UK
Desde la salida del Reino Unido de la Unión Europea, los productos cosméticos que se comercializan en el Reino Unido deben tener un RP establecido dentro del país. Las empresas que anteriormente utilizaban un RP basado en la UE deben designar un nuevo RP dentro del Reino Unido o reasignar esta función a una entidad británica. Esta persona o entidad debe tener un conocimiento profundo de las regulaciones locales y estar capacitada para interactuar con las autoridades reguladoras del Reino Unido.
Main Responsibilities of the RP
Compliance
of Regulations
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The UK PR must ensure that the cosmetic product complies with all provisions of the UK Cosmetics Regulation (based on Regulation (EC) No 1223/2009, as amended locally). This includes ensuring that all necessary safety assessments have been carried out.
Labeled
The RP is responsible for checking that product labelling complies with UK requirements. This includes ensuring that labels are in English and provide all mandatory information such as the list of ingredients, best before date, and any necessary warnings.
Furthermore, the RP must ensure that claims made in the product's advertising are supported by adequate evidence and are not misleading.
Notification in
the SCPN
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Before placing a product on the market in the UK, the PR must notify it via the Cosmetic Product Notification Service (SCNP) , the UK equivalent to the EU Cosmetic Product Notification Portal (CPNP) . This notification is mandatory and must include detailed information about the product, such as the formulation, labelling and safety assessments.
Incident Management and Post-Marketing Follow-up
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The PR must establish a post-marketing surveillance system to identify any safety issues related to products on the market. In the event of serious incidents, the PR has the obligation to report these problems to the UK authorities, such as the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA), and coordinate corrective actions, such as product recall if necessary.
Information File
of the Product
(PIF)
The RP must compile and maintain the Product Information File (PIF) in the UK. This document must be available to the competent authorities and contains all necessary information demonstrating product conformity, including safety assessment, product descriptions, manufacturing methods and efficacy testing.
The PIF must be accessible for a minimum of 10 years after the last production of the product.
Cooperation
with the Authorities
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The RP must cooperate with UK regulatory authorities during inspections and audits, providing access to the PIF and any other documentation necessary to demonstrate product compliance.
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