The main legislations governing the chemical market in China is Order No. 12 of the Ministry of Ecology and Environment (MEE), Measures for the Environmental Management Registration of New Chemical Substances, also known as MEE Order No.12. This regulation came into force on 1 January 2021 and the previous regulation (MEP Order No.7) was simultaneously repealed.
Anyone who wants to research, produce, import, or process new chemical substances in China has to register before carrying out their activities. They are:
Chinese manufacturers and importers can register the chemical substances themselves. Overseas enterprises, however, must appoint a Chinese agent (Only Representative (OR)) who will share the legal responsibility with them to fulfil the registration and post-registration obligations. The OR should be acknowledgeable and qualified to carry out the registration activities.
China maintains two main chemical inventories: the Inventory of Existing Chemical Substances Produced or Imported in China (IECSC) and the Inventory of Existing Cosmetic Ingredients in China (IECIC).
Please log in or register to access the full regulatory briefing and download the related documents.
Log In / Register to Read More.webp)
Apr-08-2026
On 7 April 2026, China’s National Medical Products Administration (NMPA) officially released five new recommended industry standards for cosmetic ingredients under Announcement No. 34 of 2026. The new standards focus on the technical requirements for biotechnology-derived and plant-derived...
Read More
Apr-16-2026
On April 16, 2026, the Ministry of Emergency Management of the People's Republic of China, together with nine other central government authorities, announced the inclusion of five additional chemical substances into the national...
Read More