In May 2026, China’s General Administration of Customs (GACC) issued the revised Measures for the Inspection and Quarantine Supervision and Administration of Import and Export Cosmetics (Decree No.284), effective December 1, 2026. This is the biggest regulatory overhaul for cosmetic exports in 15 years, simplifying procedures, shifting compliance responsibilities to manufacturers, and supporting cross‑border e‑commerce, small‑batch trade and Chinese beauty brands’ global expansion中华人民共和国海关总署离退休干部局. Below are core regulatory updates, operational guidelines and compliance trends.
1. Major Reform: Mandatory Export Manufacturer Filing Abolished
Previously, cosmetic manufacturers exporting to overseas markets must complete GACC filing. The new regulation cancels this mandatory filing requirement entirely. Manufacturers only need to establish and maintain an effective quality management system to conduct export business, greatly lowering market entry barriers for small‑and‑medium factories and emerging beauty brands.
Restrictions on designated storage places for cosmetics are also removed. Inspection locations can be flexibly arranged, improving operational autonomy for exporters新华网.
2. Optimized Customs Clearance: Remote Inspection, Market‑Purchase & Whitelist System
- Remote on‑site inspection: Video‑based real‑time inspection cuts waiting time from 2–3 days to half a day, solving clearance bottlenecks for factories in remote areas.
- Market‑purchase export pilot: Yiwu and other regions allow inspection at purchasing locations instead of production sites. Small‑batch orders enjoy one‑stop clearance, shortening lead time by 3–5 working days and reducing costs by around USD700 per shipment.
- AEO whitelist release: Industrial hubs such as Guangzhou launch whitelist systems for AEO‑certified enterprises with sampling release, cutting clearance time by over 70% and testing costs by 30%.
3. Compliance Shift: Self‑Certification & Destination‑Country Standard Priority
The new rules prioritize compliance with importing countries’ standards. For processed cosmetics re‑exported overseas, products with destination‑country compliance certificates can be exempted from Chinese national standard inspection.
Exporters must independently conduct ingredient safety assessment, labeling compliance, prohibited/restricted substance screening, overseas registration (EU CPNP, US FDA, ASEAN CosDBS), and build traceability records. GACC supervision changes from full testing to risk‑based monitoring, random inspection and post‑event penalties.
4. Updated Rules for Labeling, Ingredients & Cross‑Border E‑Commerce
- Labeling: Full ingredient list, country of origin, manufacturer info, batch number and shelf life must be marked in compliance with destination‑country language requirements.
- Ingredients: Comply with China Cosmetic Safety Technical Specifications as well as international prohibited/restricted substance lists.
- Cross‑border e‑commerce: Simplified supervision for small‑batch trial sales under cross‑border trade codes 9710/9810, supporting DTC brand expansion.
- Risk control: Non‑compliant products will be returned or destroyed directly; penalties apply for violationsXinhuanet.
5. Opportunities & Challenges for Chinese Beauty Exports
Opportunities: Simplified procedures, lower costs and convenient small‑batch trade accelerate global expansion of oriental‑style and Chinese‑ingredient beauty products.
Challenges: Higher self‑compliance requirements demand multi‑country regulation adaptation, labeling design and global registration capacity. Digital traceability and cross‑border compliance become core competitiveness for exporters.
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