Portugal has issued a decree to implement the EU Cosmetics Regulation first adopted by the European Commission in 2009 following a sharp rise in young cosmetic users, as translated by the decree.

The move comes as the country recognises that there is little to no education or advice regarding the use of cosmetics, with the decree stating that risks to life and human health pushed the country to create the regulation, with a view to ‘immediate implementation.’

As well as looking at the specific rules of the regulation, the country is said to be going even further and regulating the activity of players in the distribution and commercial chains, according to Chemical Watch.com.

Ana Maria Couras, President of the Portuguese Cosmetics Association told the site, “The decree is late, but that this delay did not put Portuguese consumers at risk.”

Speaking of previous safety within its cosmetic industry, Couras said the country took, “adequate measures to comply with the new requirements of the cosmetics Regulation.”

As a result of the decree all health professionals and professionals using cosmetics have to ‘communicate serious undesirable effects to the competent authority.’