China Regulatory News

On 1 March 2023, to align national standards and requirements with the UN Model Regulations, the Standardization Administration of China (SAC) published draft revisions of two transport regulations fo...

On 1 March 2023, to align national standards and requirements with the UN Model Regulations, the Standardization Administration of China (SAC) published draft revisions of two transport regulations for public consultation.

The two concerned national mandatory standards are GB 6944 Classification code of dangerous goods and GB 12268 List of dangerous goods. These two standards were first released in 2005 and revised in 2012. 

The classification Code introduces the definition, categories, and numbering and naming rules of dangerous goods. Compared to the previous version, the new standard had made several changes to classification methods and determing packing groups in the UN model regulations. The List of Dangerous Goods proposed to add 59 items to the list. Both the two standars help to standardize the system for dangerous goods transportation, storage, distribution, and other related activities in China. 

There will be a 12 months transition period after finish publishment. The public consultation period is until 8 May 2023. If you have any opinion or want to know more about chemical compliance in China, please contact GPC via compliance@gpcregulatory.cn.

On 4th April 2023, NMPA published a notice announcing the new regulation on cosmetic online service operators -- "Measures for the Supervision and Administration of Cosmetics Online Operations". This...

On 4^th April 2023, NMPA published a notice announcing the new regulation on cosmetic online service operators -- "Measures for the Supervision and Administration of Cosmetics Online Operations". This measure is expected to come into force from 1^st September 2023. 

Prior to the announcement of this new measure, there is no special rules governing cosmetic online operationists. And the online service providers are exempted from the application of CSAR regulation. This new measure includes five chapters governing all cosmetic e-commerce operators, including cosmetics e-commerce platform operators, cosmetics operators on the platform, and e-commerce operators who operate cosmetics through self-built websites and other network services. However, those who engaged in cross-border e-commerce retailing of imported cosmetics are exempted from the application of this new measure. 

NMPA and local MPA will be responsible for the administration and supervision of this new measure. E-commerce operators shall require platform cosmetic operators to provide address, ID and contact information. Such information shall be updated every 6 months. And operators’ information shall be kept for at least three years after they exit the platform. Regular checking recording shall be kept for at least 2 years since the recoding is made. 

E-commerce platform operators shall ensure that the products sold by them are in line with those which are registered under NMPA and keep relevant information. If any cosmetic products are identified as not complied, then the operators shall stop selling concerned products. For the other batches of the same variety, if the operator wants to continue selling it online, then it shall publish the result for a year. 

For more information, regarding China cosmetic regulation compliance, please contact GPC via compliance@gpcregulatory.cn. 

On 27 March, NMPA published a notification on optimizing cosmetic ingredients registration procedures and some adjustment to the transitional measures. The following points were addressed in the notif...

On 27 March, NMPA published a notification on optimizing cosmetic ingredients registration procedures and some adjustment to the transitional measures. The following points were addressed in the notification. 

1. Content of existing cosmetic ingredients submission 

Cosmetic ingredients safety information mainly includes ingredient quality, safety risk evaluation and related safety information. Under IECIC published by NMPA, it specified all the existed cosmetic ingredients. Cosmetic products producers shall ask ingredients provides to provide all the safety information. If ingredient submission code is available, the cosmetic product producers should connect the code, without repeating the safety information by filling it in the system. 

2. Ways of ingredient submission 

Since the publishment of this notification, registrants can submit by the following ways: 

• If ingredient submission codes are available, then ingredient submission codes are preferred. But cosmetic product registrants shall still ask ingredient providers to share ingredient’s safety information for the purpose of backing up. 
• If ingredient submission codes are not available, then cosmetic product registrants shall fill and upload the ingredients safety related information by themselves.
• For the same cosmetic products, if only some of the ingredients obtain ingredient submission codes, then the above two ways can be adopted at the same time. 

3. Adjustment to transitional measures

• The deadline for submitting ingredients safety information was delayed from 1 May 2023 to 1 January 2024. 
• If the registration was done before 1 May 2021, then ingredient’s safety information shall be submitted before 1 January 2024. 
• For cosmetic products which used special cosmetic ingredients and the registration was done between 1 May 2021 and 31 Dec 2023, then the ingredients safety information shall be filled before 1 January 2024. 

If you are interested in China NMPA CSAR regulation, please contact GPC via zhengmin@cn.gpcregulatory.cn for more information. 

On 23 March 2023, the State Administration for Market Regulation of China (SAMR) announced the “Toothpaste Supervision Management Measures” will be enforced from 1 Dec. 2023. According to the regu...

On 23 March 2023, the State Administration for Market Regulation of China (SAMR) announced the “Toothpaste Supervision Management Measures” will be enforced from 1 Dec. 2023. According to the regulation, toothpaste is defined as “a paste-like product that is applied to the surface of human teeth in a frictional manner for the main purpose of cleaning”. 

Within “Cosmetic Supervision and Administration Rules” (CSAR), toothpaste was required to be complied according to normal cosmetic products. To enforce this article, Toothpaste regulation was published. It specified the requirements and procedures for toothpaste registration. After the enforcement of this regulation, toothpaste registration should be carried according to it and not the CSAR regulation. 

There were in total 25 articles which regulate the following aspects: 

• General rules which are about definition, classification, and supervision bodies. 

• Labelling and efficacy claim requirements.

• Registration requirements and procedures, relevant technical standards. 

Manufacturing and importing are not allowed until a certificate is granted. For more information regarding toothpaste regulation, please contact GPC via compliance@gpcregulatory.cn.

The National Health Commission of China is consulting on proposed modification to the country’s main standard regulating food contact materials (FCMs), GB 9685-2016. GB 9685-2016, Standard for the U...

The National Health Commission of China is consulting on proposed modification to the country’s main standard regulating food contact materials (FCMs), GB 9685-2016. GB 9685-2016, Standard for the Use of Additives in Food Contact Materials, contains a positive list of additives that is allowed to be used in FCMs and articles conditionally or unconditionally as prescribed in the standard. 

The new modifications lower the migration levels for following substances:

• 4,4'-methylenedianiline – to be amended to 0.002mg/kg. 

• 2-ethylhexanol – to be amended to 30mg/kg. 

• 1,2,4-benzenetricarboxylic acid – to be amended to 5mg/kg.

• eugenol to be introduced as not detected. 

• a polysiloxane with Cas number 156065-00-8 to be introduced as not detected; and 

• m-xylylenediamineto to be introduced at 0.05mg/kg. 

Additionally, companies are still allowed to use the additives currently permitted for use in food. The consultation is open until 20 March. If you would like to know more information about China regulatory requirements, please contact compliance@gpcregulatory.cn, 

National Istitutes for Food and Drug Conrol of China (NIFDC) published notification calling for suggestions on “Cosmetic Safety and Technical Guidelines”. “Cosmetic Safety and Technical Guidelin...

National Istitutes for Food and Drug Conrol of China (NIFDC) published notification calling for suggestions on “Cosmetic Safety and Technical Guidelines”. “Cosmetic Safety and Technical Guidelines” is the main cosmetic safety standard under the “Cosmetic Supervision and Administration Regulation” (CSAR). It was published first in 2015 and modified in 2021. It gives information about the requirements and proceudres for cosmetic ingredient and final product test, risk assessment and toxicology test requirements. 

Currently, the modifications made in last year’s draft has been approved. The main changes in last year’s draft were: 

• Amending the list of ingredients approved and banned for use;
• Introdcuing more test methods for physical and chemcial inspection, , toxicological test methods and human efficacy test methods; and  
• Including new requriments for safety assessment report to keep in line with CSAR. 

All stakeholders can submit suggestion before 17 March. If you want to know more information about China cosmetic and chemical compliance, please contact compliance@gpcregulatory.cn for help. 

On 18th Jan. 2023, National Medical Products Administration of China (NMPA) published a notification on simplifying normal cosmetic products tests requirement for record filling procedure. This notif...

On 18^th Jan. 2023, National Medical Products Administration of China (NMPA) published a notification on simplifying normal cosmetic products tests requirement for record filling procedure. This notification measure is enforced from the date of publication. 

According to the notification, those normal cosmetic products which adopt inspection as quality control measures and the production process has been included in the daily supervision of Provincial Medical Products Departments, the inspection report issued by the cosmetics filing party or the entrusted manufacturer that conducts self-inspection in accordance with the relevant requirements of the cosmetics technical specification can be submitted. Except for one of the following situations: 

• The product claims to be used by infants and children.
• The product uses new cosmetic raw materials that are still under safety monitoring.
• The product claims to have effects such as acne removal, nourishment, repair, anti-wrinkle, dandruff removal, and deodorization.
• Other situations where the product may have relatively high safety risks.

When submitting a self-inspection report when the product is filed, the filing party should also submit a statement of the corresponding inspection capabilities for the cosmetics filing inspection stipulated in the "Cosmetics Registration and Filing Inspection Work Specification", and provide the corresponding inspection personnel, equipment, facilities, and site environment for self-inspection.

For more China REACH and cosmetic compliance information, please contact GPC via compliance@gpcregulatory.cn.