Sell Cosmetics in Estonia: Compliance Guide

• Estonia has two competent authorities for cosmetics under Regulation (EC) 1223/2009: Terviseamet for manufacture/import and TTJA for market surveillance.
• Required labelling must be in Estonian, with exceptions for the Responsible Person's name/address and INCI ingredient names.
• Estonia applies the EU framework directly without a standalone national cosmetics act; the basis is Regulation 1223/2009 and general product safety legislation.

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

Estonia 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 Estonia 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 Estonia.
• 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 Estonia. For the cross-cutting concepts, see also what the CosIng database is and how to use it.

2. The national competent authority

Estonia operates a dual-authority system for cosmetics, unlike most EU member states where a single body manages all regulatory aspects.

Terviseamet — Health Board of Estonia — is the designated competent authority for the manufacture and import of cosmetics under Article 34 of Regulation 1223/2009. The Department of Chemicals Safety, located at Paldiski mnt 81, 10614 Tallinn, manages serious undesirable effect (SUE) notifications and oversees the obligations of manufacturers and importers. Website: terviseamet.ee/en/chemical-and-product-safety/cosmetic-products.

TTJA — Tarbijakaitse ja Tehnilise Järelevalve Amet / Consumer Protection and Technical Regulatory Authority — is responsible for market surveillance and oversight of distributor obligations (Articles 6 and 13 of the Regulation). Website: ttja.ee/en/business-client/safety/products-services/cosmetics.

TTJA's own website explicitly confirms this split: "The competent authority for the manufacture and import of cosmetic products is the Health Board [Terviseamet]."

3. Labelling language requirements

Estonian is mandatory for labelling elements presented to consumers in Estonia. Label texts must be in Estonian, indelible, clearly legible, and clearly visible.

The exceptions to the language requirement are the name and address of the Responsible Person (which may appear in the form used in the country of establishment) and the INCI ingredient names (internationally standardised nomenclature). You can look up ingredient names and their applicable restrictions in the CosIng database.

Multilingual labels are permitted provided the Estonian text accurately reflects the label content.

4. National particularities

Dual-authority system: Estonia's defining feature

The most operationally relevant feature of the Estonian system is the separation of responsibilities between Terviseamet and TTJA. In practice, companies need to know which authority to engage depending on their role:

• Manufacturers and importers: the contact is Terviseamet, which manages manufacturing oversight, import controls, and SUE notifications.
• Distributors and market-placement operators: the contact is TTJA, which supervises compliance with distribution obligations and consumer protection rules.

This split is an Estonian specificity not found in most EU markets and is worth building into a company's internal compliance structure.

National legislative framework

Estonia applies Regulation 1223/2009 directly as EU law, without a standalone national cosmetics act. Supervisory and enforcement powers derive from the Act on the Conformity of Products (Toote nõuetele vastavuse seadus) and general product safety legislation, alongside the competences assigned to Terviseamet and TTJA.

Labelling in practice: what "except RP name/address and INCI" means

The Estonian labelling rule has a nuance worth noting: the name and address of the Responsible Person, and the INCI ingredient list, are exempt from the Estonian language requirement. In practical terms:

• The RP's name and address may appear as originally registered — for example, in the language of the country where the RP is established (e.g., a French or Spanish business name is acceptable as-is).
• INCI ingredient names follow the international nomenclature and require no translation.
• All other mandatory labelling elements — nominal content, durability indication, precautions, product function — must be in Estonian.

Multilingual labels that include Estonian alongside other EU languages are permitted, provided the Estonian text is accurate and complete. Labels that relegate Estonian to a less visible position or use smaller fonts may be flagged during market surveillance.

How the EU framework applies in Estonia

Because Estonia has no standalone national cosmetics legislation beyond Regulation 1223/2009, operators already compliant in other EU member states face a straightforward market entry: the product's CPNP notification, PIF, and CPSR are valid as-is. The adjustments required are limited to Estonian-language labelling and awareness of which authority — Terviseamet or TTJA — is the relevant contact depending on the company's role in the supply chain.

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

5. Frequently asked questions

Which authority regulates cosmetics in Estonia? Estonia operates a dual-authority system: Terviseamet (Health Board of Estonia) is the competent authority for the manufacture and import of cosmetics; TTJA (Consumer Protection and Technical Regulatory Authority) handles market surveillance and distribution. Both operate in distinct, complementary domains.

What language must cosmetic labels be in for Estonia? Estonian is mandatory for labelling elements presented to consumers, with exceptions for the name and address of the Responsible Person and the INCI ingredient list.

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

Are there national particularities beyond Regulation 1223/2009? The most significant particularity is the split of responsibilities between two authorities: Terviseamet manages obligations related to manufacture and import (Art. 34 of the Regulation), while TTJA supervises distribution obligations and consumer protection (Arts. 6 and 13). Companies must know which authority to contact depending on their activity.