{
  "url": "https://openlegislation.uk/eu-regulation-2009-1223/article-4",
  "json_url": "https://openlegislation.uk/eu-regulation-2009-1223/article-4.json",
  "legislation": "eur/2009/1223",
  "legislation_title": "Regulation (EC) No 1223/2009 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 30 November 2009 on cosmetic products (recast) (Text with EEA relevance)",
  "legislation_url": "https://openlegislation.uk/eu-regulation-2009-1223",
  "path": "article/4",
  "kind": "article",
  "number": "4",
  "heading": "Responsible person",
  "text": "1. A cosmetic product may not be placed on the market unless there is a responsible person established in the United Kingdom in respect of the cosmetic product.\n2. Subject to paragraphs 6 and 7, a manufacturer of a cosmetic product is the responsible person in respect of that product where—\n(a) the manufacturer is established in the United Kingdom; and\n(b) the cosmetic product—\n(i) is manufactured in the United Kingdom; and\n(ii) after manufacture but prior to placing on the market is not exported and imported back into the United Kingdom.\n3. Where paragraph 4 applies the manufacturer must ensure that—\n(a) there is a person established in the United Kingdom designated by written mandate as the responsible person in respect of the cosmetic product; and\n(b) that person has agreed in writing to be the responsible person in respect of that cosmetic product.\n4. This paragraph applies where—\n(a) a manufacturer of a cosmetic product is established in a country outside the United Kingdom; and\n(b) the cosmetic product—\n(i) is manufactured in the United Kingdom; and\n(ii) after manufacture but prior to placing on the market is not exported and imported back into the United Kingdom.\n5. Subject to paragraphs 6 and 7, any importer placing a cosmetic product on the market is the responsible person in respect of that cosmetic product.\n6. An importer or a manufacturer established in the United Kingdom may by written mandate designate a person established in the United Kingdom as the responsible person.\n(7.) Where the person designated by the importer or the manufacturer under paragraph 6 accepts the designation in writing, that person is the responsible person.\n(8.) A distributor is the responsible person in respect of a cosmetic product where that distributor—\n(a) places a product on the market under the distributor's name or trademark; or\n(b) modifies a product already placed on the market in such a way that compliance with the applicable requirements may be affected.",
  "extent": "E+W+S+N.I.",
  "status": null,
  "version": "current",
  "annotations": [
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F1",
      "text": "Art. 4 substituted (31.12.2020) by The Product Safety and Metrology etc. (Amendment etc.) (EU Exit) Regulations 2019 (S.I. 2019/696), reg. 1, Sch. 34 para. 5 (as amended by S.I. 2020/676, regs. 1(1), 3); 2020 c. 1, Sch. 5 para. 1(1)"
    }
  ],
  "outstanding_effects": [],
  "provenance": {
    "source": "legislation.gov.uk",
    "source_url": "https://www.legislation.gov.uk/eur/2009/1223/article/4",
    "retrieved_at": "2026-11-01T14:51:03.124433+00:00"
  },
  "licence": "Open Government Licence v3.0",
  "licence_url": "https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/version/3/",
  "attribution": "Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Source: legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives."
}