DEVELOPMENTS
Developments
The Fragrance
Conservatory
Fragrance Creators Association is
continuing development of The Fragrance
Conservatory—an engaging and interactive
website to house credible, consumer
friendly, and relatable information about
fragrance ingredients subject to disclosure
under California’s Cleaning Product Right
to Know Act (SB 258). This effort is being
steered by an Interested Party Group of
Fragrance Creators members: Arylessence,
Bell Flavors & Fragrances, Citrus and
Allied, Chanel, The Clorox Company, Estee
Lauder, Firmenich, IFF, Johnson & Johnson,
P&G, SC Johnson, Revlon, Robertet, and
Takasago. The website will be launched in
2019. Important note: This website does
not include detailed odor descriptors at
this time. However, Fragrance Creators is
working with the International Fragrance
Association (IFRA) on incorporating the
information in the Fragrance Conservatory.
Importance & Benefits
of Fragrance Program
In late 2018, Fragrance Creators
announced its new program on the
Importance and Benefits of Fragrance.
This program is being supported by a new
committee, the Importance & Benefits
Committee (IBFC), chaired by Matthew
Wagner, PhD, of Procter & Gamble. The
IBFC’s focus is on compiling information—
studies, stories, and examples—supporting
the importance and benefits of fragrance, as
well as uncovering potential areas of new
research. This information will be used as
part of Fragrance Creators’ communications
strategy to educate, inspire, and endear the
public to fragrance. Currently, the IBFC
is focused on supporting The Fragrance
Conservatory content development process
and engaging with The Danbury Group to
uncover opportunities for new fragranced-
related research and data.
Federal Fly-In
On May 14 and 15, 2019, Fragrance
Creators engaged in federal advocacy
to promote policies that are good for
people, perfume, and the planet, including
presenting the industry’s Legislators of the
46 | FRAGRANCENOTES.ORG | Issue 2, 2019
Year Award, testifying before the United
States Trade Representative (USTR), and
supporting fragrance policy through our 9th
Annual Federal Fly-In. With the support of
members, Fragrance Creators’ 2019 Federal
Fly-In yielded significant advancements
in the organization’s advocacy goals and
focused on delivering results that protect
and promote the fragrance industry’s
ability to innovate and grow. For the third
consecutive year, Fragrance Creators set a
record for number of meetings held. We
connected with decision-makers (Members
of Congress and staff) on matters of crucial
importance to the industry, including
trade and tariffs, new chemical review,
and cosmetics modernization. Fragrance
Creators strengthened existing relationships,
gained new support in Congress, and
expanded the Congressional Fragrance
Caucus.
Trade/Tariff
The international trade landscape is
changing more rapidly than at any point
in the recent past. Fragrance Creators
continues to actively work to influence
trade policy. The Trade and Tariff Policy
Committee (TTPC) considers tariffs and
trade agreements while Fragrance Creators
leverages the influence of the Congressional
Fragrance Caucus and relationships with
the United States Trade Representative
(USTR) and the Department of Commerce.
In addition to advocating tariff policy
during our Federal Fly-In and submitting
comments to USTR, Fragrance Creators
testified before multi-agency panels
regarding the proposed EU 301 tariffs on
virtually all essential oils and China 301
List 4, which affects approximately $300
billion in imports. Current trade/tariff-
related activity is of potential high impact
to business and, by extension, potential
increased cost passed to consumers
Cosmetics Policy
Fragrance Creators is actively engaged
in cosmetics policy at the federal and
state level. After submitting feedback
to Chairman Pallone and Representative
Shimkus on the House Discussion Draft,
Fragrance Creators has joined regular
conversations with House Energy and
Commerce staff and interested stakeholders
to develop nationwide solutions for
cosmetics modernization. Fragrance
Creators also focused on cosmetics
modernization during its record-breaking
2019 Federal Fly-In.
Dozens of proposals affecting cosmetics
and fragrance were active at the state-level
in 2019. Fragrance Creators was successful
in defeating a New York budget proposal
that would have given unrestricted authority
to regulate our industry, which could have
led to further regulation on ingredient
disclosure, ingredient safety, ingredient
review, data collection, and ingredient ban.
Fragrance Creators advocated for theses
topics to be discussed through regular
order, as opposed to placing policy in the
New York State Budget. Since most states,
including New York, operate on 2-year
legislative cycles, we expect these topics
to be active in 2020. Fragrance Creators’
efforts in California helped to ensure
ingredient-specific bans will not advance
in 2019. We anticipate that SB 574 will
become law in California. SB 574 would
require the disclosure of intentionally
added flavor and fragrance ingredients in
cosmetics, if present on a designated list,
to the California Safe Cosmetics Database.
Through negotiations, education, and
leadership, Fragrance Creators significantly
improved SB 574. Fragrance Creators
is partnering with allied trades to have a
coordinated state approach while taking
ownership of fragrance policy.
LCSA Implementation
The Lautenberg Chemical Safety Act
(LCSA) amends the Toxic Substances
Control Act (TSCA), the nation’s primary
chemicals management law. As a direct
result of Fragrance Creators’ efforts to
actively engage with industry groups,
leverage Congressional relationships,
and advance the Congressional Fragrance
Caucus, we have persuaded the
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
to prioritize the fragrance industry. We
have noted an acceleration of EPA’s review
of new fragrance ingredients as well as
improvements in the agency’s willingness
to incorporate feedback and find solutions
for improving the New Chemicals program.