Alibaba published cosmetic product compliance rules

According to latest Chinese cosmetic regulation, Cosmetic Supervision and Administration Rules (CSAR), cosmetic products can be exempted from registration obligation if they are sold via cross-border e-commerce platform. However, e-commerce platforms are required set to cosmetic online rules to regulate online cosmetics. Alibaba international, as the largest Chinese cross-border e-commerce platform, has published “Compliance Rules for Cosmetic Products on Alibaba.com” on the 17^th October 2022. This rule will come into force since 24^th October 2022. 

The compliance rule largely follows the requirements in CASR sets rules. These are two major parts in this rule. 

1. Compliance requirements for listing and trading cosmetic products

• All sellers who want to list cosmetics on the platform, they must strictly adhere to the "Access Rules for Category Qualifications (for Suppliers in the Chinese Mainland)". 
• It is forbideen to sell comsetic products containing cosmetic ingredients prohibited by laws and regulations. Cosmetic ingredients that are in restricted or limited use list have to comply with certain restrictions and requirements. 
• It is forbidden to sell products that are notified by domestic and foreign regulatory authorities to have violated laws and regulations, are at risk of use, or are deemed non-compliant. 
• The description of the products listed online needs to be consistent with the labels of the final products delivered. This including the packaging, labels, ingredients, and the function description of the cosmetics.                        

​​​​​​​2.Control methods 

In "Cosmetics or Cosmetic Ingredients Controlled on Alibaba.com", it mentions that Alibaba.com will comprehensively evaluate the control plan. If the compliance requirements of the same products or ingredients are inconsistent in different countries, the platform will determine the management and control methods based on the actual situation.

If sellers are found to have sold cosmetics in violation of the above-mentioned compliance requirements, penalty might be enforced. The penalty can be removing the product, deleting the product, deducting points from the product, deducting points from the store, restricting the store from using product features on the website, closing the seller's account, and restricting the sale of all products to a destination country according to the platform rules. In addition, sellers shall comply with other compliance and trading rules for products. 

If you are selling or planning to sell cosmetic products via cross-border e-commerce platform, please contact GPC via compliance@gpcregulatory.cn or zhengmin@cn.gpcregulatory.com for help.