Last Updated on 8th May 2020

The Status Of CBD In Europe Has Changed

The European Commission has entered CBD in its database of cosmetic ingredients – a move that looks like positive recognition of how the substance differs from the rest of the cannabis plant. In effect, the EU is offering more clarity to the CBD cosmetic industry and is likely to aid its acceptance by regulators in EU member states.

The Commission’s Directorate-General for Internal Market, Industry, Entrepreneurship and SMEs (DG GROW), now distinguishes between two types of CBD.

The new entries for cannabidiol distinguish between cannabidiol “derived from extract or tincture or resin of cannabis” and that which is “synthetically produced”.

Good News For CBD?

The good news comes on the back of a re-evaluation of CBD oil at UN level in January. Back then, UN secretary-general António Guterres wrote to the World Health Organization Expert Committee on Drug Dependence (WHO ECDD), recommending the UN Convention on Narcotic Drugs was amended.

It is a complex area but the key information from Europe is, “We consider Cannabidiol outside the scope of entry 306 of Annex II to the Cosmetics Regulation 1223/2009. However, if it is prepared from banned substances such as extracts or tinctures or resin of Cannabis Cannabidiol would fall under the scope of the Convention and the prohibition II/306 should apply.”

READ MORE: Is CBD Oil Legal In The United Kingdom?

Although great heed is paid to European positions on such matters, the EU does not interpret or enforce laws, but leaves that responsibility to member states and their courts. It will be up to EU member states to deem CBD’s legality individually.

Conclusion

The EU has entered CBD in its database of cosmetic ingredients – a move that looks like positive recognition of how the substance differs from the rest of the cannabis plant. Previously, the European Commission’s position was that “provided cannabidiol qualifies as an extract of cannabis within the meaning of the [Single Convention of Narcotic Drugs], it should then be prohibited from use in cosmetics”.