July 16, 2019
Canada Hosts World Cosmetic Regulators at ICCR-13 in Montreal
Hosted by Health Canada and Cosmetics Alliance Canada, the International Cooperation on Cosmetics Regulation (or "ICCR"), held its 13 th  annual session in Montreal, Canada from July 9 th to 12 th , 2019. ICCR is an initiative of cosmetic regulators from around the world and works to coordinate and align the regulation of cosmetics on an international basis. The goal is to ensure the highest level of global consumer protection, while minimizing barriers to international trade.

Member jurisdictions include the European Union, United States, Canada, Japan and Brazil with Colombia, Israel, South Korea, Taiwan, and Thailand participating as observers. Collectively, these countries represent about 60% of the world's cosmetics market!

Official photograph of the Joint Regulators/Industry Session at ICCR-13 in Montreal which included delegations from the European Union, United States, Canada, Japan and Brazil with Colombia, Israel, South Korea, Taiwan, and Thailand participating as observers. Collectively, these countries represent about 60% of the world's cosmetics market.
Opening Reception Taken to "New Heights" at the Montreal Observatoire
Government and Industry converged for the ICCR opening reception on the evening of Tuesday, July 9 th at the stunning Montreal Observatoire. The 360 degree observatory is on the 46 th floor at the top of one of Montreal's tallest buildings and boasts the highest view point of the city due to it's elevation near Mont Royal.

Darren Praznik, President of Cosmetics Alliance, welcomed more than 80 delegates to the historic city of Montreal while Tolga Yalkin, Director General - Consumer Products Safety Directorate, greeted the group on behalf of Health Canada. Mr. Yalkin expressed his appreciation for the partnership and sustained committment that industry and regulators have shown through ICCR to advance our shared interests of consumer safety and best practices.
Darren Praznik (President, Cosmetics Alliance) and Tolga Yalkin (DG, Consumer Products Safety Directorate/Health Canada) welcome delegates to ICCR-13 and set the stage for the coming meetings.
Attendees overlook the island of Montreal from the top of the Obervatoire at the ICCR-13 opening reception.
Point of View
For Petra Leroy Cadova from the European Commission, a proud Czech and expat Canadian, the real strength of the ICCR forum is its multicultural context. "I am impressed by the constant expansion in activity areas and growing interest from other countries to jointly tackle current challenges for the cosmetics sector".
S everal observer authorities are expected to seek full membership in ICCR in the coming years, thereby further broadening ICCR's role in developing international standards for our industry.
ICCR-13 Meeting - Joint Working Groups Advance Key Issues
ICCR Joint Working Groups include representatives from both government regulators and industry with a mandate to coordinate and establish shared international standards for regulation. There are currently 6 working groups including: Product Preservation, Allergens, Integrated Strategies for Safety Assessments, International Standards, Microbiome, and Communications (of ICCR Work Projects to ensure international outreach).

ICCR regulators met with industry on Wednesday, July 10 th to discuss the progress of the various Joint Working Groups. Each working group presented their progress including project updates, expected deliverables, and/or final outcomes. Cosmetics Alliance is the current chair of the ICCR Industry Steering Committee, which coordinates industry participation in ICCR and the Joint Working Groups. The groups work will continue throughout the year to advance the issues prior to ICCR-14 next year in Brussels.

Details of the project discussions and outcomes can be found here .
Tolga Yalkin (DG, Consumer Products Safety Directorate/Health Canada) and Darren Praznik (President, Cosmetics Alliance) kick-off ICCR-13's Joint Session.
Global regulators and Industry discuss the progress of the various Joint Working Groups.
Cosmetics Alliance Canada Recognizes Key Role of Beta Montemayor in ICCR-13

Since the passing of the "industry torch" to Cosmetics Alliance at ICCR-12 last year in Tokyo, Beta Montemayor ( pictured in centre ) has had the responsibility for chairing the Industry Steering Committee and managing the industry secretariate. In addition to leading the planning and preparations for this year's event in Montreal, he has also overseen industry's participation in ICCR Joint Working Groups and the delivery of their work products, as well as coordination with Health Canada as ICCR Chair.

Beta was also instrumental in the initiation and planning for the first ever Scientific Workshop as part of the ICCR annual meetings. Along with Health Canada's Paul Chowan ( pictured left of Beta ), Beta co-chaired the joint session of regulators with industry.
Multi-Stakeholder Sessions - ICCR Delegates Briefed on Cosmetic Ingredients Derived from Endangered Sharks
Brian and Sandra Stewart of the Rob Stewart Sharkwater Foundation provided the ICCR Regulators and other stakeholders with an overview of the amazing work of their late son Rob Stewart (1979-2017), an award-winning biologist, photographer, conservationist, author and filmmaker, to save sharks that are on the brink of extinction. Rob was unfortunately lost in a tragic and much publicized diving accident off the coast of Florida in 2017.
 
Millions of sharks are hunted and killed each year for their fins, meat, and even their livers. Shark livers contain an oil known as squalene. High in fatty acids and antioxidants, it is used as a moisturizing agent. While squalene can be extracted from olives, wheat germ, and other plants, its sourcing from sharks is apparently easier and cheaper. It is estimated that as much as 90% of shark squalene product is sold to cosmetic producers.

Brian and Sandra Stewart share a compelling overview of the plight of endangered sharks and the critical role of industry and governments to stop the use of shark liver derived ingredients in cosmetics. To the right is Troy Seidle of Humane Society International who spoke about animal testing.
Rob Stewart (1979-2017), an award-winning conservationist, author and filmmaker, worked fearlessly to save endangered sharks which are critical to the sustainability of our planet.
Point of View
Francine Lamoriello, Executive Vice President, Global Strategies at the U.S. Personal Care Products Council, shares her views on the benefits of ICCR. "ICCR is the only forum where the cosmetics industry and reguators work together to address critical and emerging issues facing our industry. ICCR guidances and reports have impacted regulators and industry best practices around the world."
Francine has participated in ICCR since its inception 13 years ago and commends the tremendous progress that has been made over the years.
An Evening Discovering and Celebrating Old Montreal - Cemetaries and Sewers Included!
Cosmetics Alliance hosted the Joint Dinner in Honour of the 13 th Meeting of the ICCR on the evening of Wednesday, July 10 th . The event was held at the Montréal Museum of Archaeology & History in Old Montreal and included a tour of the old city and its underground archaeological sites.
Darren Praznik (President, Cosmetics Alliance) hosts a walking tour of Old Montreal, providing delegates with historical context and commentary.
Reception at the Montréal Museum of Archaeology & History at Pointe a Calliere in Old Montreal.
Underground archaeology tour included one of the oldest storm sewers in North America.
The archaeology tour also included a walk over of Montreal's first cemetary dating from 1642.
John Coyne (Board Chair, Cosmetics Alliance) provides welcoming remarks at the Joint Dinner. John spoke of the importance of international regulatory alignment to achieving the highest standards of consumer safety that is expected by today's global consumers.
Surprise fireworks over the St. Lawrence, courtesy of Portugal! Delegates had the opportunity to enjoy one of the fireworks displays as part of the Montreal International Fireworks Festival.
Traditional Quebec and "voyageur" music was enjoyed during the course of the evening. The voyageurs were French Canadians who engaged in the transporting of furs by canoe during the 200+ years of the Canadian fur trade in Montreal
Darren "passes the ICCR industry torch" to John Chaves (Director General, Cosmetics Europe) who will be the industry Co-chair and Secretariate for ICCR-14 to be held in Brussels in June, 2020.
ICCR-13 Scientific Workshop: Risk Assessment Principles and Their Application in Decision Making - A Key Tool in the Elimination of Animal Testing
In 2017, ICCR published a white paper on Integrated Strategies for Safety Assessments of Cosmetic Ingredients which was written by an ICCR ad hoc Joint Regulators-Industry Working Group (JWG). The paper outlined the principles that underpin the integration of novel methods and data in the safety assessment of cosmetic ingredients. The 9 principles outlined describe the goals of a next generation risk assessment (NGRA) for cosmetics (to be human-relevant, exposure-led, hypothesis-driven and designed to prevent harm).

The goal of this year's Scientific Workshop is workshop was to investigate how these 9 principles are currently being applied in three case studies and explore how application of these principles can aid safety decision in risk assessments which use novel assessment methodologies. The case studies described how non-animal approaches are used to complete an exposure-led risk assessment, and covered a variety of health effects relevant to cosmetics. The outcome of the workshop will utlimately be a peer-reviewed report which guests will be invited to co-author.

The Scientific Workshop was organized around ICCR-13 in Montreal to take advantage of having so many interested parties from around the world already in one place at the same time. Several additional experts also travelled to Montreal including: Joao Barroso (European Commission's Joint Research Centre), Kim Boekelheide (Brown University), Janine Ezendam (Dutch National Institute for Public Health), Susanne Hougaard Bennekou (Denmark Technical University), Renata Mazaro-Costa (Director of Brazilian National Animal Experimentation Control Board), Stanely Parish (Health & Environmental Sciences Institute), Rusty Thomas (US EPA), Yoshiki Tokura (Hamatsu University), Rajeshwar Verma (US FDA), and Catherine Willett (Humane Society International).

The development and validation of non-animal assessment tools is important in eliminating animal testing. Workshops such as this assist in the acceptance of these alternatives by regulators.
This first ever Scientific Workshop associated with ICCR annual meeting delved into risk assessment principles and their application in safety decisions.
Rusty Thomas, Director National Center for Computational Toxicology, US EPA presents at the Scientific Workshop.
Point of View
Ken Marenus, the new President of the U.S. Independent Cosmetic Manufacturers and Distributors (ICMAD), discusses the unique opportunity that ICCR provides. "ICCR is a truly unique forum that provides global regulators and industry with the opportunity to collaborate and solve problems." Ken has been at the ICCR "table" since its inception and has witnesed its progression first hand.
Industry Caucus at ICCR - Preparation, Participation, and Progress!
Industry delegates were busy throughout the week preparing for their session with ICCR Regulators, as well as debriefing the outcomes and and preparing next steps for next year. Industry participants included Association and Company representatives from the five ICCR jurisdictions as well as the observers. For the complete ICCR-13 PHOTO GALLERY , please click HERE .
Cosmetics Alliance Board Members Connect with International Associations at ICCR-13
The Cosmetics Alliance Board of Directors were invited to meet with leadership from Cosmetics Europe and the U.S. Personal Care Products Council. The briefing provided the opportunity for CA Board Members to speak first hand with Francine Lamoriello (PCPC) and John Chaves (Cosmetics Europe) about the issues facing these two important jurisdictions as well as matters of common interest.
Point of View
Fabio Franchina, President of Framesi Spa, shared his views on the benefits of ICCR. Fabio stressed how we must not lose sight of the overall mission - "to maintain the highest level of global consumer protection while minimizing barriers to trade", and the need for timely adoption of working group outcomes in each jurisdiction in order to deliver that mission.
Over 180 in Attendance: Canada's Innovative Self-Care Framework Showcased for International Regulators
Health Canada and Cosmetics Alliance jointly hosted a symposium as part of ICCR-13 in Montreal to showcase Canada’s innovative Self-Care Products Framework initiative and share our experience and learnings with colleagues from around the world. Over 180 international delgates and Cosmetics Alliance members participated in the Self-Care Symposium.

The proposed new framework seeks to modernize the regulation of all self-care products - cosmetics, natural health products, and over-the-counter drugs - based on risk rather than regulatory definition. More specifically, the self-care framework is intended to ensure regulation commensurate with the consumer risk associated with the intended use of the product rather than simply applying inappropriate “drug” regulations to products for which they were never intended. As Health Canada has pointed out, under Canada’s current regulation, a toothpaste can be regulated as a cosmetic, natural health product, or drug depending on its intended use (i.e. "clean teeth" or "treat gingevitas") and the source of any active ingredients, with different regulatory requirements and costs despite no real difference in consumer risk. For consumers, they are simply “toothpastes” and are found beside each other on a store shelf.
 
The symposium began with a presentation by Health Canada’s Manon Bombardier, Director General, Natural and Non-prescription Health Products Directorate, and Matt Bown, Senior Analyst, Consumer Health Product Modernization, who described the details of the new regulatory approach as well as the multi-year process of stakeholder consultation and policy development that led up to it. This was followed by a panel discussion with John Chave, Director-General of Cosmetics Europe, who provided an international insight into the importance of this approach in modernizing cosmetic regulation world-wide; Francois Roberge, Vice-President of L’Oreal Canada, who discussed the value of the Health Canada consultation process with which he has been involved from the beginning; and Linda Tibbits, General Manager of Pierre Fabre Canada, who described the opportunities that the framework will provide for greater innovation in our sector for companies to both import and develop new product lines in Canada.
 
Comments from panelists were followed by an interactive discussion with symposium participants chaired by CA President Darren Praznik which included questions and supportive comments from industry. Of particular note were the comments of Salvatore D’Acuncto, Head of Unit, Technologies & Cosmetics, DG GROW, European Commission, who indicated the E.U.’s interest in the Self-Care Framework and that it will be important for the European regulator to keep in contact with their colleagues in Health Canada as the work on the framework and it’s implementation continues. Francine Lamoriello, Executive Vice-President of the U.S. Personal Care Products Association, expressed support for this initiative and reminded participants that because of this work we were able to secure in the new NAFTA the first-ever recognition in any trade agreement of products at the “cosmetic-drug interface” and the need to regulate them more appropriately to their risk.
 
An interesting learning flagged by both Health Canada and industry was that no matter how important or logical regulatory reform may be, getting the reform to be a priority within the regulatory department (and the needed resources assigned) will always be a significant challenge given the many competing priorities for regulatory authorities. As CA President Darren Praznik pointed out, it took several years of effort just to get enough attention to the need for reform that the then Health Minister was able to commit to a process, and it took a new Health Minister in a new government to get the assignment of the necessary staff resources over multiple years to undertake the enormous work involved.
 
Closing comments were provided by Tolga Yalkin, Director General - Consumer Products Safety Directorate , who spoke of the commitment of Health Canada to continue with this important and necessary reform.

For the complete Self-Care Symposium PHOTO GALLERY , please click HERE.
Over 180 international delgates and Cosmetics Alliance members participated in the Self-Care Symposium.
Matt Bown, Senior Analyst, Consumer Health Product Modernization, sharing details behind the multi-year process of stakeholder consultation and policy development. 
Manon Bombardier, Director General, Natural and Non-prescription Health Products Directorate , describing the new Self-Care Products Framework.

Panel discussion included John Chave, DG, Cosmetics Europe, Francois Roberge, VP L’Oreal Canada, and Linda Tibbits, General Manager of Pierre Fabre Canada along with Health Canada speakers.
Salvatore D’Acuncto, Head of Unit, Technologies & Cosmetics, DG GROW, European Commission, indicated the E.U.’s interest in the Self-Care Framework and the importance for the European regulator to keep in contact with Health Canada.
CA Board Member Luc Simard of Montreal based Groupe Marcelle/Lise Watier speaks to the importance of the Framework in creating a regulatory environment that encourages and supports innovation. He also raised the issue of "regulatory culture" and the need for all branches of Health Canada to grow into this new approach to regulation.
Big Thanks to the Cosmetics Alliance Team!
Cosmetics Alliance President Darren Praznik, and Director of Regulation & Science Beta Montemayor, wish to thank the entire Cosmetics Alliance Team for all of their efforts in support of making ICCR-13 a success!
 
Whether it be at the event in Montreal, or behind the scenes over the past year as Cosmetics Alliance prepared to “welcome the world” of cosmetics regulation to Canada, the CA team worked tirelessly to ensure the success of the ICCR sessions, Technical Workshop and Self-Care Symposium, as well as the comfort and hospitality for the many attendees from around the globe. 
 
Cosmetics Alliance would also like to acknowledge and thank its Board Chair, John Coyne, and the many CA Board Members and company representatives who took the time to participate in ICCR and its related events such as the symposium. Their active support and participation helped to make this important week a great success in advancing issues important to the ndustry and in building greater global understanding and cooperation.
Cosmetics Alliance ICCR Support Team (from left to right): Linetha Ganesh, Richard Parcels, Lisa Harris, Michele Davis, Diane Kozak, Michele Follows, Amy Sutherland, and Susan Nieuwhof (absent in photo).
Cosmetics Alliance Team diligently working in preparation for ICCR-13!