The old idea of a tax to fund the activities of the French Agency of Health Products (AFSSAPS), whose responsibilities includes the supervision of cosmetic products, had resurfaced at the Senate when debating the draft budget law for 2010.

French senators had planned to introduce a contribution of 0.25% on sales (excluding VAT) achieved the previous year, by manufacturers and importers of cosmetics. Only small businesses would have been exempted since the tax was only planned for sales exceeding 763 000 Euros.

However this stipulation to which the government was opposed, was withdrawn even before it was taken into consideration by the Joint Commission in charge of bringing into line the positions of the National Assembly and of the Senate.