The Chinese authorities have agreed that "ordinary*" cosmetics can be exported to China without being tested on animals by the Chinese authorities before being placed on the market. This is on condition that manufacturers present a certificate of compliance with Good Manufacturing Practices, issued by the competent authorities in their country of origin, as well as a product safety assessment.
Thanks to the mobilization of French cosmetics companies and health authorities, France is the first country in the European Union to be able to issue this certificate. This decisive step rewards the industry's many years of efforts to encourage the Chinese authorities to abandon testing, which has been banned in France, as in the rest of the European Union, since 2009.
Animal testing of cosmetics had already been banned throughout the European Union since 2009. However, some countries, including China, still carried out tests on imported finished products before allowing them to be marketed on their territory. These tests were carried out by local health authorities, not by the brands themselves.
The cosmetics sector is therefore committed to working with these countries to gain recognition for alternative methods to animal testing, and to ensure that regulations evolve towards the total and definitive elimination of such tests.
These efforts had already begun to bear fruit. For example, since June 2014, certain products manufactured and marketed in China (shampoos, shower gels, make-up) were no longer tested on animals. Only "special" use cosmetics, such as hair dyes and sunscreens, and all imported products remained concerned.
Today, a new step has been taken, as "ordinary" cosmetic products exported to China will henceforth also be exempt from animal testing, provided they present a certificate of compliance with Good Manufacturing Practices and a safety assessment. In France, the ANSM (Agence Nationale de Sécurité du Médicament) will issue this certificate to manufacturers. Since January 12, 2021, the ANSM has posted the documents required to obtain this certificate on a dedicated platform, making it easier for all French cosmetics manufacturers to export to China.
