China Macau Cosmetic Regulation

Macau SAR is an international free trade port in China. With a separate customs territory, Macau has close international economic ties with the European Union and Portuguese-speaking countries due to historical reasons.

Similar to Hong Kong, Macau regulates cosmetics quite loosely. There are no specific regulations or standards related to cosmetics in Macau. Imported cosmetics are merely subject to a simple declaration. Nevertheless, as the cosmetics sold in Macau can be deemed as consumer goods, enterprises intending to conduct cosmetic business in Macau are suggested to follow the requirements in the Law on Protection of the Rights and Interests of Consumers, as well as the safety and labeling requirements for consumer goods. 

Part 1 Regulatory Framework and Competent Authority

1 General Regulations Related to Consumer Goods, Including Cosmetic, in Macau

 2 Competent Authority of Cosmetics

The Economic and Technological Development Bureau (DSEDT) is responsible for establishing, modifying, and replacing the formats of licenses and declarations. DSEDT also supervises product safety compliance with the regulations in Establishment of the General System for Product Safety. The Chief Executive of DSEDT can issue directives to prohibit the production, importation, or supply of dangerous products, as well as to ban hazardous product marketing, order the recall, or discard harmful products.

The Macau Customs is responsible for verifying declaration forms and inspecting goods. 

Part 2 Import

Enterprises engaging in import and export activities in Macao should apply for a license from the relevant authorities or submit a declaration to Macao Customs in paper or electronic form. In accordance with the Foreign Trade Law, cosmetics are subject to declaration.

The license application form and declaration should be filled out in Chinese, Portuguese, or English, except for technical names or other names that more clearly identify the goods or products in original language. The main content to be filled includes: the name and address of the enterprise; the name and address of the consignor or consignee; the trademark, number, quantity, and packaging method of the goods; as well as the name and business tax registration number of the carrier.

Macao Customs in receipt of the declaration should verify the declaration and return it to the enterprises. The confirmed declaration is necessary for the enterprise for following-up business activities. The validity period of the declaration is ten working days from the date of confirmation by Customs. 

Part 3 General Requirement for Cosmetic Products

As mentioned at the beginning, no specific cosmetic regulations or standards are published in Macau. Nevertheless, enterprises intending to conduct cosmetic business in Macau are suggested to follow the product safety and labeling requirements for consumer goods. 

Following the Establishment of the General System for Product Safety, “product” refers to “all articles which, after manufacture or processing, are supplied or made available to the ultimate consumer, whether for compensation or not”. The manufacturer (including the importer) and seller should take actions to ensure the product safety, including product sampling inspection, hazardous product recall, information disclosure, etc. 

As per the Establishment of the System of Advertising Activities, advertising information should be legal, recognizable, truthful, and comply with the principles of consumer protection and loyalty to free and fair competition.

All advertisements that mislead or influence the audience through techniques, subconscious methods, or deceptive tactics, to prevent them from understanding the true nature of the information being conveyed, are prohibited. The following types of advertisements are explicitly banned:

a. Those with hidden, indirect, or deceptive qualities;

b. Those that exploit the audience's fears, ignorance, or superstitions;

c. Those that incite or encourage violence or illegal activities;

d. Those that disrespect national or religious symbols;

e. Those that use tools containing sexual or obscene content;

f. Those that mislead about the quality of the promoted goods or services;

g. Those that encourage dangerous use of the promoted items;

h. Those that fail to mention necessary precautions to avoid accidents when handling or using such items.