Colipa opens the doors to its AGM

In recent years increased awareness of consumer needs and concerns has led to a significant increase in the regulation of the industry. One of the primary drivers of this has been REACH.

As was the case during the 2005 AGM in Hungary, a considerable amount of the proceedings are expected to focus on how the industry is gearing up to the challenge of meeting the requirements of REACH.

The Scientific Forum will be taking place today, Thurday 1 June, and will prove to be the main platform to address issues relating to REACH, with Dr. Veronique Scailteur giving a key speech on preparations for the programme.

Nano safety has not been far from the headlines in recent months, and addressing this issue will be a speech from Dr. Gerd Nohynek, director of consumer safety at L'Oreal. Also a part of the Scientific Forum, he will be updating on the latest research into the safety of nanomaterials and their application within cosmetic formulations.

The Scientific Forum will also include a joint presentation from Toshitaka Makino and John Bailey who will be revealing the latest trends from the world's leading markets - the US and Japan.

Likewise the General Assembly, which will be held on Friday 2 June, will also be looking at the need to find alternatives to animal testing. The agenda will include a panel discussion from Odile de Silva, chairperson for Colipa Programme Committee Research.

De Silva will be updating on how committee members are fulfilling EU requirements to totally outlaw the testing of cosmetic and toiletry products on animals by 2008 by communicating the latest report from The Steering Committee on Alternatives to Animal Testing (SCAAT).

Key speeches will include Oliver Gray, director-general of the European Advertising Standards Alliance, who will be addressing the key theme of the event, and in turn explaining how advertising and marketing product claims can be made to help strengthen consumer confidence.

Looking at this subject area from a more academic approach, Professor George Gaskell of the London School of Economics will give a speech entitled Media and Consumer Confidence.

The CosmeticsDesign team will be reporting on all of the proceedings in the course of the next few weeks in a series of articles that will give a comprehensive inside view of what is currently making the European industry tick.