Exporting Cosmetics, Personal Care and Perfumery Products - update to technical requirements

28 Jan 2022

Technical Update for Exports of Cosmetics, Personal Care, and Perfumery Products

As the world of regulation is constantly evolving, each party/stakeholder needs to follow and adapt to these changes. Our Intertek teams are here to help you and your organisation to keep track and understand these updates. Below are listed some recent updates from MENA.

Kingdom of Saudi Arabia :
On the 24th of December 2021, the SFDA (Saudi Food and Drug Authority) has published the Circular no. 14095. This Circular lists prohibited substances that are likely to be carcinogenic, mutagenic or toxic for reproduction (CMR) and for which there are safer alternatives. One of those substances is the butylphenyl methylpropional (also known as Lilial®) which will be banned, in Europe, from the 1rst of March 2022. Thus, the prohibition of butylphenyl methylpropional in cosmetic products is applicable in KSA before UE.

The Saudi Food and Drug Authority has decided the following:

1. All the substances listed in the table shall be added to Annex (2). “the list of substances prohibited for use in cosmetics” of the Technical Regulations on the Safety of Cosmetics and Personal Care Products SFDA.CO GSO 1943:2016.
2. The present decision shall enter into force as from the date of issuance of this circular.

Egypt :
The Egyptian General Organization for Standardization and Quality (EOS) has recently released the Egyptian Standard ES 3570/2021, which defines the requirements that cosmetic perfumed liquids to be placed on the Egyptian market shall meet. This standard, promoted by Ministerial Decree No. 221/2021, cancels and supersedes its last edition in 2005. Based on the feedback from importers and exporters on these new requirements Our Intertek Egyptian team is currently discussing about this standard's requirements with the  Egyptian Authorities. As soon as the information is confirmed, the updated communication will be sent to you.

Oman:
The MOCI (Ministry of Commerce & Industry) of the Sultanate of Oman as notified to the World Trade Organization that Technical Regulations on the Safety of Cosmetics and Personal Care Products GSO 1943/2021 will be enforced for all cosmetic products from April 2022.