Kristian Vigenin in Strasbourg: We protected Bulgarian rose oil and guaranteed consumer safety

The adopted regulation maintains high standards for protecting consumer health and safety, while providing greater predictability for European producers, including in the traditional essential oils sector.

“We managed to find a balanced solution that protects consumers without creating unjustified obstacles for producers of natural ingredients. This is especially important for Bulgarian rose oil, which is not only a valuable export product but also part of the livelihood and cultural heritage of entire regions,” said MEP Kristian Vigenin, Head of the Delegation of Bulgarian Socialists in the European Parliament.

As rapporteur for the Group of the Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats, Vigenin took an active part in the negotiations on the legislative package, insisting that simplifying the rules be combined with maintaining a high level of consumer protection and taking into account the specific features of individual production sectors.

Protecting essential oils of plant origin

Among the results achieved is the preservation of an approach that takes into account the specific characteristics of substances of plant origin. The presence of a single hazardous component will not automatically lead to a ban on the entire essential oil. Where necessary, an additional scientific safety assessment will be carried out. This decision is of major importance for producers of rose and lavender oil in Bulgaria, as well as for the traditional essential oil industry in a number of European countries.

At the same time, the European Parliament defended the strict restrictions on carcinogenic, mutagenic and reprotoxic substances in cosmetic products. It also secured shorter periods during which products containing newly classified hazardous substances may remain on the market. The requirements for clear and legible labels have been retained, as has strict control over the most dangerous substances used in fertilisers.

Simplification without compromising citizens’ health

During the negotiations, the Socialists and Democrats insisted that reducing the administrative burden on businesses should not weaken the protection of citizens. The agreement reached provides clearer and more predictable rules for companies, while preserving the necessary safeguards for public health and the environment.

“Simplifying legislation cannot come at the expense of citizens’ health and safety. This was our guiding principle at every stage of the negotiations. With the adopted regulation, we have shown that it is possible to reduce unnecessary administrative burden, protect traditional European production and at the same time guarantee that the products people use every day are safe,” Vigenin stressed.

The European Parliament’s approval is the result of lengthy negotiations with the Council of the EU, in which important compromises were reached for both consumer protection and the competitiveness of European industry.