In 2024, the restructuring of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) was approved and officially took effect on October 1, 2024. A key change in this restructuring is the creation of Human Foods Program(HFP) and the adoption of new models for on-site operations, along with other significant modernization efforts. As a result, changes have also occurred in the management of GRAS substances and NDI.

In May 2025, the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) released the fourth edition of the Catalogue of borderline cases between articles and substances/mixtures.

On 14 May 2025, Regulations and Pharmaceutical Affairs Related to Domestic and Overseas Cosmetics (化粧品にかかわる海外・国内の法規制・薬事対応), a definitive industry guide published by Japan’s renowned academic publisher Joho Kiko, saw its official release.

China updated to the Inventory of Existing Chemical Substances in China through additions and changes in usage.

On May 13, 2025, the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced significant adjustments to the data submission deadlines under the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) for per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) and PFAS-containing products.

China’s chemical inventory of existing chemical substances is IECSC, which stands for the Inventory of Existing Chemical Substances Produced or Imported in China (IECSC). There are two parts of IECSC, public part and classified/confidential part. Companies can check out the public part by themselves and shall only enquire Authorities for classified/confidential part. If substances are not listed in the public part, companies have to submit a formal enquiry to SCC to check whether a substance is listed in the confidential part. The enquiry costs 3000 RMB.

On May 12, 2025, the European Commission published Regulation (EU) 2025/877, amending the EU Cosmetics Regulation (EC) No 1223/2009. This amendment incorporates a new group of substances classified as carcinogenic, mutagenic, or toxic to reproduction (CMR substances)-as identified under the Classification, Labelling and Packaging (CLP) Regulation- into Annex II, the List of Substances Prohibited in Cosmetic Products. Additionally, Entry 311 of Annex III has been deleted and its content transferred to Entry 1730 of Annex II. This regulation will enter into force on September 1, 2025.

On April 25, 2025, we hosted a free Chinese webinar on the key points and considerations in food registration in different countries and US food label compliance. Many questions were raised during the webinar.We have collected the questions and made a Q&A summary.

This article compiles and summarizes the latest developments in cosmetics regulations in China and globally as of April 2025, covering industry news, newly issued regulations, relevant policy adjustments, and regulatory requirements. It aims to assist enterprises in ensuring compliance and keeping up with global cosmetics regulatory trends.

On May 9, 2025, China National Center for Food Safety Risk Assessment (CFSA) issued 2 new food raw materials. Comments are welcomed before June 8, 2025.