1. China Drafts the Safety and Technical Standard for Cosmetics 2022 (STSC 2022)
On March 31, 2022, China National Institutes for Food and Drug Control (NIFDC) released the draft of Safety and Technical Standard for Cosmetics 2022 (the draft STSC 2022) for public comments, which is devised to supersede the existing overarching technical standard STSC 2015.
The draft STSC 2022 inherits the basic framework of STSC 2015. Still, it overhauls the original content, including revising the content that is unsuitable for the current supervision practice, retaining the content that is still applicable, incorporating the previous revisions for STSC 2015, as well as standardizing and improving some terms and expressions.
2. China Relaxes the Requirements for Cosmetics Ingredient Safety Information Submission
The Provisions for Management of Cosmetic Registration and Notification Dossiers (the Provisions) puts forward provisions on the submission of cosmetic ingredients safety information, requiring cosmetic registrants and notifiers to provide safety information of all ingredients. The information can be the ingredient safety information document provided by the ingredient manufacturer or its authorized agent (Annex 14 of the Provisions) or the ingredient submission code obtained by them.
On September 28, 2022, China’s National Institutes for Food and Drug Control (NIFDC) provided two feasible solutions for cosmetic registrant, notifier, or Chinese domestic responsible person to submit the safety information of ingredients not obtaining the ingredient submission code:
Provide ingredient quality specification documents or Annex 14 stamped with the official seal of the ingredient manufacturers; or
Fill in and submit Annex 14 on their own through authorization from ingredient manufacturers. The document shall be stamped with the official seal of the registrant, notifier, or Chinese domestic responsible person.
This means that in addition to the ingredient manufacturer, the cosmetic registrant, notifier, or Chinese domestic responsible person can also fill in Annex 14 with the authorization of the ingredient manufacturer.
3. Taiwan Implements a New List of Prohibited Ingredients in Cosmetics
On July 1, 2022, Taiwan Food and Drug Administration (TFDA) officially implemented the latest version of the List of Prohibited Ingredients in Cosmetics. The list deletes Bithionol and Beryllium and Its Compounds due to entry duplication, and adds four ingredients, namely Alanroot Oil (Inula Helenium L.), Rauwolfia Serpentina L., Alkaloids and Their Salts, Yohimbine and Its Salts, and Tripterygium Wilfordii Hook.f.
From the effective date, the manufacture, import, sale, supply, and display of cosmetics containing the ingredients in the list are strictly prohibited.
4. China Implements the Finalized Good Manufacturing Practices for Cosmetics
On July 1, 2022, China National Medical Products Administration (NMPA) implemented the finalized Good Manufacturing Practices for Cosmetics (the Practices). It specifies the basic requirements for quality management of cosmetics production and coveres all aspects of cosmetic production and quality control, such as ingredients, personnel, equipment, sanitation, inspection, packaging, storage, transportation, sales and recall.
Starting from the effective date, cosmetic registrants, notifiers, and entrusted production enterprises shall organize the production of cosmetics per the Practices. For enterprises that have obtained a cosmetic production license before the effective date, the upgrading and reconstruction of plant facilities, equipment, etc., shall be completed before July 1, 2023, to ensure that their plant facilities and equipment, etc., meet the requirements of the Practices.
5. China Finalizes the Regulations for Cosmetic Adverse Reaction Monitoring
On October 1, 2022, China NMPA implemented the finalized Measures for the Management of Cosmetic Adverse Reaction Monitoring (the Measures). As China’s first regulation specifically for the management of cosmetic adverse reaction monitoring, the Measures lays down systematic requirements for cosmetic adverse reaction monitoring from the aspects of responsibilities and obligations, adverse reaction reporting, analysis and evaluation, as well as adverse reaction investigation, supervision and management, etc.
6. China Consults on Technical Guidelines for Children's Cosmetics
On April 11, 2022, China NIFDC released the draft Technical Guidelines for Children Cosmetics (the draft Guidelines) for public consultation. The draft Guidelines refines the requirements for children’s cosmetics and provides technical guidance for the registrant, notifier, and Chinese domestic responsible person when applying for the registration and notification of children's cosmetics, as well as serves as the basis for the competent authorities' technical review of special children cosmetics and post-notification review of general children cosmetics.
It is worth noting that the draft Guidelines clarifies the specific requirements for safety assessment, products designed for the Chinese market, and children's sunscreens, as well as more stringent requirements for ingredient use, labelling, claims, etc.
7. China Drafts the First Regulation on the Supervision for Cosmetics’ Online Operation
On August 17, 2022, China NMPA released the Supervision and Administration Measures on Online Operation of Cosmetics (Draft for Comments) (the draft Measures) for public consultation, China's first regulation specifically for the online operation of cosmetics. The draft Measures comprehensively and systematically stipulates the management requirements on cosmetics e-commerce platforms, cosmetics operators on the platforms, as well as supervision and administration departments.
8. China Releases the First Clean Beauty Standard
On July 10, 2022, the Guangdong Cosmetics Association released the first standard for clean beauty in China's cosmetics industry, T/GDCA 011-2022 Cosmetics—General Principle of Clean Beauty. The standard specifies clean beauty’s definitions and related terms, basic principles, design, production, packaging, storage, use, recycling, and other requirements. Please note that the standard is a non-mandatory group standard, adopted voluntarily by enterprises. It has taken effect since August 8, 2022.
9. China to Issue New Regulations for Cosmetic Sampling Testing
On June 24, 2022, China NMPA launched a three-week public consultation on the second draft of Measures for the Management of Cosmetic Sampling Testing (the draft Measures). Compared with the first draft released in 2020, the new draft Measures adjusts and refines the content on plan formulation, sampling, testing and result submission, re-testing and objections, verification and disposal, etc., which are all important links of the cosmetics sampling testing management.
10. China Releases the 2022 Commodity Catalog of Import and Export Wild Fauna and Flora
On September 6, 2022, the Endangered Species Import and Export Management Office of China and the General Administration of Customs of China jointly issued a new version of the Commodity Catalog of Import and Export Wild Fauna and Flora (the new Catalog) to supersede the 2018 Commodity Catalog of Import and Export Wild Fauna and Flora. The new Catalog implemented on September 15, 2022, mainly consists of three parts: 1) The Catalog’s Instructions for Use; 2) A 25-page catalog of import and export wild fauna and flora, including commodities’ HS codes, names, supervision conditions, etc.; 3) Lists of endangered species, including three appendices of the CITES, the List of National Key Protected Wild Animals, and the List of National Key Protected Wild Plants.
Compared with the 2018 version, the new Catalog further clarifies the scope of international trade of endangered species that are subject to supervision, and relaxes the import of foreign non-endangered species and their products.
Recap Webinar of the Year 2022
Want to know comprehensive cosmetic regulation updates in the key countries worldwide? On January 11, 2023, ChemLinked will hold a year-end recap webinar, providing an overview of revised and emerging cosmetic regulations worldwide over the year 2022. Through the webinar, we wish to help you catch the key regulatory points. Click the picture below for registration now!
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