On 10 April 2024 the European Parliament approved the text of the recast Urban Wastewater Treatment Directive. Of particular relevance to pharmaceutical and cosmetic companies, the recast Directive will introduce new extended producer responsibility (“EPR”)[1] obligations in respect of micropollutants from their products that end up in the urban wastewater stream. Background The EU’s Urban Wastewater Treatment Directive (the “Directive”) has been in place since 1991 and aims to protect human health and the environment…
On 25 July 2023, the EU Commission published its response to the European Citizensā Initiativeās petition on āSave Cruelty-free Cosmetics – Commit to a Europe without Animal Testingā. The petition received 1.2 million signatures from EU citizens and the EU Commission must respond to petitions gathering 1 million signatures or more. The EU Commission has confirmed the following in response to the requests of the petition: Protect and strengthen the cosmetics animal testing ban Transform…