EU Responsible Person for Cosmetics Sold in France
If your cosmetic brand is based outside the EU and wants to sell in France, you need an EU Responsible Person before placing products on the market. Lexora takes that role and manages your compliance file.
Who needs an EU Responsible Person for France?
Under Regulation (EC) No 1223/2009, no cosmetic may be placed on the French market without a Responsible Person established in the EU. That applies whether you sell one product or a full range.
Non-EU brands
Any cosmetic brand established outside the EU placing products on the French market.
Importers & distributors
Businesses bringing cosmetics into the EU who need a designated RP independent of one supplier.
Private-label & indie brands
Skincare, perfume and colour brands selling D2C or via marketplaces in France.
Online sellers
Amazon, Shopify and retail sellers who must show a compliant RP before listing.
What your Responsible Person does
- Keeps the Product Information File available to authorities for the required period.
- Ensures the CPSR and PIF are complete and current for every product.
- Supports the CPNP notification before market placement.
- Reviews labels, claims and warnings for the target market.
- Acts as the single contact point for competent authorities.
What Lexora reviews before taking the RP role
We confirm your product is genuinely ready before our name goes on it — so the appointment protects your brand instead of exposing it.
Formula & ingredients
INCI list checked against EU annexes and concentration limits.
Safety report status
Whether a valid CPSR exists or needs to be prepared.
PIF completeness
Every required document present, current and consistent.
Label & claims
Mandatory elements, French language and substantiation.
Common mistakes entering the French market
- Selling on French marketplaces or D2C before a valid EU Responsible Person is appointed.
- Leaving mandatory label elements in English instead of French for the French market.
- Assuming compliance in a non-EU home market transfers automatically to France.
- Using marketing claims that cannot be substantiated in the Product Information File.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need an EU Responsible Person to sell cosmetics in France?
Yes. Every cosmetic placed on the French and wider EU market must have a designated EU Responsible Person established in the EU. Lexora can be appointed as your RP for the French market.
Does my cosmetic label need to be in French?
Yes. For products sold in France the mandatory elements (function, warnings, precautions, durability) must appear in French. The INCI list stays standard. We review and correct your artwork for the French market.
Can a non-EU brand sell cosmetics directly to customers in France?
Yes, once an EU Responsible Person is in place and the product has a CPSR, a complete PIF, compliant French labelling and a CPNP notification. We prepare these before your first sale.
Is one EU Responsible Person enough for France and other EU countries?
Yes. The RP and CPNP notification are EU-level, so a single Responsible Person covers France and every other EU member state where you sell.
Do I need to register my cosmetics with a French authority?
There is no separate French pre-market registration. The EU route is a CPNP notification plus full compliance, applied EU-wide. Enforcement in France sits with the DGCCRF, which can inspect your file at any time.
Appoint Lexora as your EU Responsible Person
Send us your product type, formula status and target EU markets. We will confirm the exact steps for the French market — with a fixed scope and price before any work begins.