Brussels, 08/09/2003 (Agence Europe) - No more doubts as to the state of a cosmetic product that has already been opened. The European Commission adopted a symbol on 5 September which will have to be included on all cosmetic products with a durability of over 30 months, as of 11 March 2005. This symbol, an open cream jar accompanied by an indication in months or years, will tell the consumer how long the product will remain suitable for use once it has been opened. According to the Commission, this will be particularly useful for products which, once opened, come into contact with the outside environment and are thus liable to degrade- and even become harmful- e.g. as a result of microbiological contamination. The symbol was the preferred option because it makes for rapid identification, and because it avoids any difficulties inherent with a written explanation (translation, lack of space on the packaging, which is often quite small). The Commission worked together with the cosmetics industry and Member States' authorities to make the design logo as easy as possible for the consumer to understand. It is worth noting that for cosmetics with a durability of less than thirty months, there is already the legal obligation to indicate the date of minimum durability- the date until which the product, stored under appropriate conditions, continues to fulfil its initial function and, in particular, remains safe for human health.