From June next year, China is set to remove mandatory animal test requirements for its locally made cosmetic products, says China’s Food and Drug Administration.
Coming months after India committed to phasing out animal tests for cosmetics, CFDA’s announcement is being cheered by ethical groups and consumers.
For the first time ever, Chinese companies producing "non-special use cosmetics" such as shampoos or perfumes will have the option to substantiate product-safety using existing safety data for raw ingredients, or European Union-validated non-animal tests instead of having to submit product samples to the government for testing on rabbits, mice and rats, said a note from Humane Society International (HSI).
HSI estimates that as many as 3,00,000 rabbits, mice and other animals may be subject to cosmetics chemical testing each year in China alone.
The new rules will initially apply to cosmetics manufactured in China, the note said, adding that the CFDA has stated that once the new system has been established, it may be expanded to include imported products and certain “special use” cosmetics as well.
The move will be a major step towards removing trade barriers between China and the EU, enabling cruelty-free companies worldwide to sell their products on the Chinese mainland without compromising their 'no animal testing' policies, the note added. Israel and the 27 EU countries have implemented both testing and sales bans to bring an end to cosmetics testing on animals.
Non-animal tests
Having launched its Be Cruelty-Free China campaign about five months ago, HSI said that its campaigners would work with Chinese officials toward a complete ban on cosmetics animal testing.
In the meantime, they would also work with cruelty-free corporate partners to assess the new system once implemented next year. In fact, the Humane Society of the United States and The Human Toxicology Project consortium recently awarded an $80,000 grant to the Institute for In Vitro Sciences to provide hands-on training in non-animal tests to China’s government regulators and scientists, the note said.
Troy Seidle, HSI's Be Cruelty-Free director pointed out that the China development marked a milestone in the global effort to end cosmetics animal testing worldwide.
“We will meet with Beijing officials in the coming days to look closely at the detail of this cosmetics announcement, but it looks like there could at last be a bright future for cruelty-free companies in China and hope on the horizon for an end to cosmetics cruelty,” Seidle said.
Be Cruelty-Free China is part of the largest campaign in the world to end cosmetics animal testing. Globally, HIS and its Be Cruelty-Free partners are spear-heading campaigns to end cosmetics cruelty in Australia, Brazil, China, Korea, New Zealand and Russia.