The Nordic countries are a group of nations in Northern Europe and the North Atlantic characterized by their shared cultural, historical, and geographical features. This group includes five sovereign states—Denmark, Finland, Sweden, Iceland, and Norway—as well as their associated autonomous territories and regions.
Among Nordic countries, Denmark, Finland, and Sweden are EU members, while Iceland and Norway are not. However, both Iceland and Norway are part of the European Free Trade Association (EFTA). On January 1, 1994, the Agreement on the European Economic Area came into force, which established the European Economic Area (EEA), linking EU states and EFTA members, and allowing EFTA members to participate in the EU's internal market. This grants Iceland and Norway the free movement of persons, goods, services, and capital with EU states. In return, they have to adopt most EU legislation governing the single market, including Regulation (EC) No 1223/2009 on Cosmetic Products (Cosmetics Regulation). To conclude, all Nordic countries require cosmetics' compliance with the EU Cosmetics Regulation. In addition, each country has its own national requirements that complement and expand upon the EU Cosmetics Regulation.
In this article, ChemLinked explores the cosmetics regulatory landscape in Nordic countries, with an emphasis on their national requirements.