UAE briefs WTO of draft perfume legislation

The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has briefed the World Trade Organization’s (WTO) Committee on a new draft proposal on perfume regulation.

According to UAE, it is a bid to get in line with global fragrance industry standards.

The organisation, the Emirates Standardization and Metrology Authority (Esma) on the 9 November 2012 sent a 26 page document, with concerns about the offering, trading and selling of perfumes and other related cosmetics products on its markets, reported cosmeticsdesign.com.

Esma director general Mohamed Badri told the website that the proposal’s main aim was to stress a recognised risk management system for the safe usage of fragrance ingredients, with an aim to see that there is no risk for the consumer or the environment.

"We want to continue to work to ensure the safe enjoyment of fragrances by implementing our local criteria in line with worldwide standards," Badri added.

Esma’s conclusion to establish new regulation guidelines is said to have come after the agency met the ‘Fragrance Foundation Arabia’ to discuss the standardisation and regulation points for the cosmetics and fragrance industry in the UAE market, and its role in terms of supporting the national economy.

The agency said the meeting was held to form a committee and draft regulations that are in line with the global standards in the perfumery industry.

The agency also said that the last date to comment on the proposed regulation is 60 days from the date of notification.

According to a report from Fragrance Foundation Arabia, the usage of perfumes per capita in the Middle East is said to be amongst the highest in the world.

In 2011, the US exports to the UAE totalled €15.9bn, an increase of 36% over the previous year’s levels, overtaking Saudi Arabia as the largest market.