Sell Cosmetics in Denmark: Compliance Guide

• Miljøstyrelsen (Danish EPA) oversees compliance with Regulation (EC) 1223/2009 in Denmark, with an active focus on risk substances and children's products.
• Required labelling must be in Danish under Executive Order No. 803/2013; INCI ingredient names are exempt.
• Denmark has two national restrictions that pre-empted EU measures: a paraben ban for children under 3 and a microplastics ban in rinse-off products.

1. The EU framework applies — notify once, sell everywhere

Denmark applies Regulation (EC) 1223/2009 directly — the harmonised rules that govern cosmetic products across the entire European Union. There is no parallel national regime: the safety, composition, and labelling rules are the same as in the rest of the EU.

In practice, selling in Denmark within the EU framework means meeting four common obligations that are not specific to this country:

• A single CPNP notification covers the entire EU market, including Denmark.
• A single EU-established Responsible Person is accountable for the product.
• A single product information file (PIF), which includes the cosmetic product safety report (CPSR).

This guide does not repeat that common framework — it focuses on what is specific to Denmark. For the cross-cutting concepts, see also what the CosIng database is and how to use it.

2. The national competent authority

The competent authority for cosmetics in Denmark is Miljøstyrelsen — the Danish Environmental Protection Agency (Danish EPA / DEPA). Within Miljøstyrelsen, the Chemical Inspection Service carries out active market surveillance of cosmetic products.

Miljøstyrelsen is an active member of PEMSAC (Pan-European and Mediterranean Cosmetics Surveillance Authority Cooperation), the European network of surveillance authorities that coordinates joint inspection campaigns and shares information on non-compliant products. The agency's English website — eng.mst.dk — provides guidance documents and information sheets for businesses.

Miljøstyrelsen also receives and processes reports of serious undesirable effects (SUE) to inform regulatory decision-making at both national and European level.

3. Labelling language requirements

Danish is mandatory for the required labelling of cosmetic products placed on the Danish market. The legal basis is Executive Order No. 803 of 21 June 2013 on cosmetic products, which specifies that required labelling information must be in Danish.

The elements that must appear in Danish include: the nominal content, the minimum durability date or period after opening (PAO), usage precautions, the product's function, and any required regulatory warnings.

INCI ingredient names are exempt from the language requirement: as internationally standardised nomenclature, they may appear in their original form. You can look up ingredient names and their applicable restrictions in the CosIng database.

Executive Order No. 803/2013 is the applicable national reference; it may have been amended since its original publication, so verifying the current version at retsinformation.dk before market entry is recommended.

4. National particularities

Paraben restriction for children under 3

Denmark was the first EU member state to adopt a national restriction on certain parabens in children's products. Executive Order No. 1217 of 11 October 2013 prohibits the use of propyl-, butyl-, isopropyl-, and isobutylparaben and their salts in cosmetic products intended for children under 3 years of age.

This national restriction pre-dated the equivalent EU restriction — the EU subsequently restricted propylparaben and butylparaben in products for children under 3 via Regulation 2014/1004/EU — but the Danish order covers a broader scope by also including the isopropyl and isobutyl isomers.

Manufacturers placing baby or children's cosmetics on the Danish market must ensure their formulations comply with both the Annexes of Regulation 1223/2009 and this additional national order.

Microplastics prohibition in rinse-off products

Executive Order No. 655 of 19 May 2020 established a national prohibition on microplastics in rinse-off cosmetic products. This national measure also pre-dated the European restriction on intentionally added microplastics, which was later introduced under Entry 78 of Annex XVII of the REACH Regulation.

Rinse-off products such as shower gels, shampoos, facial cleansers, and exfoliants destined for the Danish market must comply with this prohibition in addition to the requirements of Regulation 1223/2009.

Cosmetovigilance

Miljøstyrelsen manages the cosmetovigilance system in Denmark. Serious undesirable effects (SUE) must be reported to the authority under Article 23 of Regulation 1223/2009. The agency processes these reports and feeds them into regulatory decision-making at both national and European level, contributing to the broader EU pharmacovigilance framework for cosmetics.

How Denmark fits the EU harmonised framework

Denmark's national restrictions on parabens and microplastics are notable precisely because they were adopted before equivalent EU-level measures. This pattern illustrates an important regulatory dynamic: member states retain the ability to adopt stricter national measures provided they notify the European Commission and do not contradict the Regulation's harmonised provisions. In both cases — the 2013 paraben restriction and the 2020 microplastics ban — Denmark acted as an early mover, and the EU subsequently followed with its own legislation in the same direction.

For businesses already compliant across the EU, the practical implication is straightforward: verify that products intended for the Danish market additionally meet Executive Order No. 1217/2013 (parabens in children's products) and Executive Order No. 655/2020 (microplastics in rinse-off), on top of the standard Regulation 1223/2009 Annexes. These two orders are the delta between Denmark and the rest of the EU single market.

For other markets in the Nordic and Baltic region, see our guides to Sweden, Finland, Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania.

5. Frequently asked questions

Which authority regulates cosmetics in Denmark? The Miljøstyrelsen (Danish Environmental Protection Agency, Danish EPA / DEPA) is the competent authority for cosmetics in Denmark. Its Chemical Inspection Service carries out market surveillance and participates in the European PEMSAC cosmetics surveillance network.

What language must cosmetic labels be in for Denmark? Danish is mandatory for required cosmetic product labelling, under Executive Order No. 803 of 21 June 2013 on cosmetic products. INCI ingredient names are exempt as internationally standardised nomenclature.

Do I need a separate notification for Denmark? No. A single CPNP notification covers the entire EU market, including Denmark. There is no additional mandatory national register.

Are there national particularities beyond Regulation 1223/2009? Yes. Denmark has two national restrictions that go beyond the EU framework: Executive Order No. 1217/2013 bans propyl-, butyl-, isopropyl- and isobutylparaben in products for children under 3; and Executive Order No. 655/2020 prohibits microplastics in rinse-off cosmetic products — both adopted before equivalent EU-level restrictions.