Guangdong Initiates Reform on Simplifying Cosmetic Administration Approval

Takehome: Administration approval of cosmetic manufacturing license and imported cosmetics filing management will be optimized in Guangdong to align with the national trend of streamlining administration and strengthening post-market surveillance.

Following the rolling out of the pilot program of simplifying cosmetic administration approval to all of Shanghai and in line with the State Council’s Notice to advance the Reform of “Separating Certificates from Business License” nationwide, Guangdong MPA announced on Dec. 20 to initiate its local reform of optimizing administration approval for cosmetic manufacture license and filing of first-imported non-special use cosmetics.

Specific management measures were also rolled out to support the reform, which includes:

Cosmetic Manufacture License

1. Its implementation has been delegated to municipal bureaus since January 1, 2016.
2. Carry out the full-process online business processing system which allows online application, online acceptance, online review, online approval and online certification.
3. Shorten approval duration. Specifically, the legal time limit for issuance, renewal and change of cosmetic manufacture license will be shortened from 60 to 36 working days and that for cancellation of the license has been shortened from 20 to 10 working days.
4. Simplify approval materials and enable online access and verification of the business license, legal representative’s identification, etc.
5. Disclose approval procedures, acceptance conditions, handling standards, processing progress etc. on Guangdong government service website.
6. Timely share processing information to the provincial government information resources platform.
7. Strengthen in-market and post-market supervision that combines classified management, risk-based supervision and random inspection.

Filing of first-imported non-special use cosmetics

1. Actively participate in the revision of relevant regulations for Cosmetic Supervision and Administration Regulations.
2. Speed up the formulation and implementation of Guangdong Cosmetics Safety Regulation.
3. Adjust processing method and authority. The pre-market administrative approval of first-imported non-specials cosmetics to NMPA and filing management in FTZ pilot zones were uniformly transformed to filing management with provincial MPA.
4. Enact detailed provincial enforcement requirements, revise and disclose filing instructions for applicants to refer to.
5. Promote information sharing among departments and different levels of governments.
6. Strengthen in-market and post-market supervision that combines classified management, risk-based supervision and random inspection.