China Optimizes the Requirements for Importing and Exporting Cosmetics Containing Triethanolamine (TEA)

To continuously improve the effectiveness of controlled chemical imports and exports management, on December 17, 2024, China’s Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT), the Ministry of Commerce (MOFCOM), and the General Administration of Customs (GACC) jointly announced to optimize the regulation of products containing low-concentration Triethanolamine (TEA, CAS No. 102-71-6), including cosmetics, effective January 1, 2025.

Key Regulatory Updates

The notice releases two Attachments. The products listed in Attachments 1 and 2 contain a low concentration of TEA, and their diffusion risk is controllable. As a result, these products fall outside the control scope of the following regulations and no application is required for the Approval Certificate for the Import and Export of Controlled Chemicals or the Import License for Dual-use Items and Technologies.

Further, when declaring the import or export of the commodities listed in Attachment 2 to customs, the percentage by mass of free triethanolamine in the commodity (i.e., the triethanolamine concentration) shall be accurately declared in the specification section of the customs declaration form.

Attachment	No.	Product Name and Notes	HS Code
Attachment 1: List of Products Containing Triethanolamine Exempt from Control	10	Lip cosmetics containing ingredients from endangered species, with content marked by weight on the package	3304100011
	11	Lip cosmetics containing ingredients from endangered species, with content marked by volume on the package	3304100012
	12	Lip cosmetics containing ingredients from endangered species, with “pieces” or “sheets” specifications marked on the package	3304100013
	13	Other lip cosmetics with content marked by weight on the package	3304100091
	14	Other lip cosmetics with content marked by volume on the package	3304100092
	15	Other lip cosmetics with the “piece” or “sheet” specification marked on the package	3304100093
	16	Eye cosmetics containing ingredients from endangered species, with content marked by weight on the package	3304200011
	17	Eye cosmetics containing ingredients from endangered species, with content marked by volume on the package	3304200012
	18	Eye cosmetics containing ingredients from endangered species, with the “piece” or “sheet” specification marked on the package	3304200013
	19	Other eye cosmetics with content marked by weight on the package	3304200091
	20	Other eye cosmetics with content marked by volume on the package	3304200092
	21	Other eye cosmetics with content marked by volume on the package	3304200093
	22	Nail cosmetics with content marked by weight on the package	3304300001
	23	Nail cosmetics with content marked by volume on the package	3304300002
	24	Nail cosmetics with the “piece” or “sheet” specification marked on the package	3304300003
	25	Powder cosmetics, whether or not pressed	3304910090
	26	Beauty products or cosmetics and skin care products containing ingredients from endangered species, with content marked by weight on the package (including sunscreen or tanning oil, but excluding medicines)	3304990021
	27	Other beauty products or cosmetics and skin care products with content marked by weight on the package (including sunscreen or tanning oil, but excluding medicines)	3304990029
	28	Beauty products or cosmetics and skin care products containing ingredients from endangered species, with content marked by volume on the package (including sunscreen or tanning oil, but excluding medicines)	3304990031
	29	Other beauty products or cosmetics and skin care products with content marked by volume on the package (including sunscreen or tanning oil, but excluding medicines)	3304990039
	30	Beauty products or cosmetics and skin care products containing ingredients from endangered species, with specifications marked as “sheet” or “piece” on the package (including sunscreen or tanning oil, but excluding medicines)	3304990041
	31	Other beauty products or cosmetics and skin care products with specifications marked as “sheet” or “piece” on the package (including sunscreen or tanning oil, but excluding medicines)	3304990049
	32	Other beauty or cosmetics and skincare products containing ingredients from endangered species, with specification marked on the packaging (including sunscreens or tanning oils, excluding pharmaceuticals)	3304990091
	33	Other beauty or cosmetics and skincare products containing ingredients from endangered species, with specification marked on the packaging (including sunscreens or tanning oils, excluding pharmaceuticals)	3304990099
	34	Shampoos containing ingredients from endangered species	3305100010
	35	Other shampoos	3305100090
	36	Other hair care products	3305900000
	37	Other toothpastes	3306101090
	38	Shaving preparations	3307100000
	39	Bath salts and other bath products	3307300000
	40	Other toilet soaps and organic surface-active products (including products containing drugs, in the form of bars, blocks, or molded shapes) (special cosmetic soaps)	3401110090
	41	Laundry soaps (in the form of bars, blocks, or molded shapes)	3401191000
	42	Soaps in other shapes (excluding bar, block, or molded forms)	3401200090
	43	Organic surfactant products and preparations for skin cleansing, in liquid or cream form and packaged for retail sale, including mercury-containing skin-lightening soap (with mercury content exceeding 1 part per million)	3401300010
	44	Organic surfactant products and preparations for skin cleansing	3401300090
Attachment 2: List of Products Containing Triethanolamine at Concentrations of 10% or Less, Not Subject to Control.	27	Other esters of salicylic acid and their salts	2918230000
	101	Other perfumery, not elsewhere specified or included (cosmetic or toilet preparations)	3307900000
	175	Silicones in primary forms	3910000000

Note: For the full list, please visit the MIIT’s official website.

Other Noteworthy Information

The notice also highlights several important points for clarification:

For single aqueous solutions of triethanolamine, regardless of concentration, both the Approval Certificate for the Import and Export of Controlled Chemicals and the Import License for Dual-use Items and Technologies are required.
For commodities listed in Attachment 1 and 2, if they are subject to import and export approval due to other regulatory requirements, they shall be processed following the relevant regulations.
Other triethanolamine-containing commodities not listed in Attachments 1 and 2 shall be regulated under the Regulation of the People’s Republic of China on Administration of Controlled Chemicals and the Export Control Regulations of Dual-Use Items of the People’s Republic of China and subject to Approval Certificate for the Import and Export of Controlled Chemicals and the Import License for Dual-use Items and Technologies.