In the presence of many elected officials, including Christian Estrosi, the French minister in charge of industry, the Cité de la Cosmétique was inaugurated in Marseille on 16 October. This new site, entirely dedicated to cosmetics players, groups together manufacturers, merchants, consulting firms and the new headquarters of the COSMED association, a national network of cosmetics companies.

Overseen by the group Résiliance, in association with the French public financial institution Caisse des dépôts, the Cité de la Cosmétique is a huge 6,000-m² facility in the disadvantaged urban zone or zone franche urbaine, in the north of Marseille. It is being developed based on an established specialty, industrial cosmetics, and aims to create a micro-complex of skills.

The spearhead of this new complex, COSMED is betting on the future and innovation in providing a seedbed to assist and support young company founders from research departments or the scattering of major groups. Services adapted to their needs will enable them to develop new activities in a protected environment.

Founded in 2000, on the initiative of a dozen small and midsize cosmetics industry companies, the COSMED network is today recognized as a key player of the sector. All the players are represented there: raw materials and packaging suppliers, manufacturers and private label subcontractors, store brands, test and analysis labs and specialized consultants. Made up of 80% small and midsize companies, COSMED has given itself the task of promoting the development of the cosmetics industry’s small and midsize companies, promoting and defending their interests, mutualizing and diffusing professional information and providing training. On the occasion of the inauguration, COSMED was celebrating its 500^th member, the company CAPSUM, itself a resident of the Cité de la Cosmétique.

On this occasion as well, Christian ESTROSI took the opportunity to announce the simplified administrative steps necessary for cosmetics exports.

Starting on 1 January 2010, organizations that will provide the guarantees, know-how and skills necessary in the field of cosmetics, as is the case of COSMED, will be able to deliver Certificats de Vente Libre. The CVL is a single document attesting that the products made in France are in compliance with French public health legislation and European standards. Until now, the Fédération des Industries de la Parfumerie (FIP) was the only body authorized to deliver these certificates. In addition, this new measure should promote cosmetics exports.

Kristel Milet – Editor in chief Blog