​A total of 41 batches of substandard imported cosmetics failed customs inspection from last November to January this year. Reasons for rejections were incomplete certificates or relevant materials and incompliant labels.

​On April 1 Taiwan FDA abolished 21 announcements, which were released before the implementation of Taiwan's new cosmetic regulatory framework. The 21 announcements include 9 announcements about prohibited ingredients residue, 2 about prohibited ingredients, 8 about restricted ingredients and 2 about cosmetic repackaging.

The domestic responsible agent and declaration company entrusted are able to apply for the return of goods with the Customs within 30 days from the release of the Declaration List. And if the returned goods are delivered to the original customs supervision operation site, the original customs special supervision area or the bonded logistics center (B) within 45 days from the release of the Declaration List, the corresponding tax will not be levied, and the annual transaction amount of the consumer will be adjusted.

In a bid to further standardize cosmetic supervision as well as manufacturers and business operators' behavior, China National Medical Products Administration sorted out and released the answers to the 7 common problems that were found in cosmetics registration and filing, and reflected by the cosmetics industry. These questions are mainly related to the compliance of cosmetic ingredients, labeling and claim.

9 amendments were made to the online filing system of domestic non-special use cosmetics last Friday night and three of which are significant changes: 1) enterprises shall upload product specifications; 2) applicant with unfinished products test cannot fill in on the system; 3) the word count of the name of enterprises’ production unit is expanded to 100 words.

On 12 March 2020, Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety published the latest opinion on Zinc Pyrithione (ZPT), stating that Zinc Pyrithione is safe for use as an anti-dandruff ingredient in rinse-off hair products at the concentration of 1%, on the basis of existing European Union cosmetic regulations and the scientific data provided.

On March 12, 2020, the European Commission submitted a notification of the draft amendments to Appendix II and Appendix III of Regulation (EC) No 1223/2009 to WTO, proposing to ban 3 ingredients for use in hair dye cosmetics, allow 6 ingredients for use in hair dye ingredients and 1 ingredient for use in eyelash dye products. The notification is now under public consultation and the deadline is May 11, 2020.

Hong Kong Consumer Council tested 45 types of lip balms on the market and found that 80% of which contains potentially harmful mineral oils. 5 types of the products detected excessive levels of MOSH mixtures and 23 samples detected the potential carcinogen MOAH.

On Mar. 26, China State Administration of Market Regulation issued 2020 legislation work plan, proposing to draft 7 laws and administrative regulations, enact and revise 8 departmental regulations. In the cosmetics sector, 4 regulations are scheduled to be drafted by NMPA, including Administration Measures for Cosmetics Registration, Administration Measures for Cosmetic Label, Measures for Supervision and Administration of Cosmetics Production and Operation and Measures for Supervision and Administration of Toothpaste.

The innovative CBEC supervision project “Sampling Inspection within Bonded Warehouse” was initiated by Tmall Global and Hangzhou Qianjiang Customs on March 7, 2019, and was officially landed in Ningbo Free Trade Zone in recent days. It will establishe an independent sample retention area in the bonded warehouse to hold samples of all incoming goods, and the post-market sampling inspection will be brought forward to the warehousing link and performed by a third-party agency. The entire process of the project is under the supervision of Ningbo Customs.