Southeast Asia · ASEAN (ASEAN Cosmetic Directive)
What does it take to sell cosmetics in ASEAN (ASEAN Cosmetic Directive)? Entry route, responsibility, labeling
Pre-market product notification (not approval) to each member state's authority before th…; Responsible person: The company or person responsible for placing the product o…; Labeling: Art.
Latest change 2026-06-30 — Revised ACD Annexes II, III, IV and VI released after the 43rd ACC meeting: four azole antifungals banned, kojic acid limited to 1% (face/hand) and 0.2% (body), BHT and verbena absolute restricted, and chlorophene and 2-chloroacetamide removed as preservatives. Source
Factory-side digest; the official text prevails; not legal advice.
- Authority
- ASEAN Cosmetic Committee (ACC) and ASEAN Cosmetic Scientific Body (ACSB); enforced by each member state's regulator
- Main regulation
- Agreement signed 2003-09-02 in Phnom Penh at the 35th AEM Meeting · ASEAN Cosmetic Directive (Schedule B of the Agreement on the ASEAN Harmonized Cosmetic Regulatory Scheme)
- In force
- 2008-01-01
- Market entry
- Pre-market product notification (not approval) to each member state's authority before the product is placed on that market (Art. 7).
- Responsible person
- The company or person responsible for placing the product on the market must be established in the member state where it is notified and is named on the label.
- Safety file
- Product Information File (Art. 8) with a safety assessment signed by a qualified assessor, kept at the responsible person's address for inspection.
- Labeling
- Art. 6 and Appendix I: product name and function, full ingredient list (INCI, descending), country of manufacture, responsible company name/address, contents, batch, manufacture/expiry dates and warnings, in the language accepted by each member state; allergen naming is not mandated by the ACD itself.
- Animal testing
- The ACD neither bans nor requires animal testing; safety is demonstrated through the PIF assessment.
- Ingredient lists
- ACD Annex II (prohibited), Annex III (restricted), Annex IV (colourants), Annex VI (preservatives) and Annex VII (UV filters), updated twice yearly by the ACC/ACSB.
- Notes
- Annex changes bind in each state only once transposed (e.g. Malaysia Circular 2/2026 of 2026-07-06; Philippines FDA Circular 2026-0001 of 2026-04-22 for the 40th–42nd ACC changes).
- Look up this inventory here
- 东盟 · ASEAN Cosmetic Directive — Annexes
- Official text
- https://www.hsa.gov.sg/cosmetic-products/asean-cosmetic-directive/
Changes 2025–2026
- ASEAN releases revised ACD Annexes II, III, IV and VI
After the 43rd ACC meeting, bifonazole, clotrimazole, thiabendazole and tioconazole were banned, kojic acid capped at 1%/0.2%, BHT and verbena absolute restricted and chlorophene/2-chloroacetamide dropped as preservatives; Malaysia transposed the changes by NPRA Circular 2/2026 on 2026-07-06 and the Philippines had adopted the 40th–42nd ACC changes by FDA Circular 2026-0001 on 2026-04-22. Source
FAQ
Does ASEAN (ASEAN Cosmetic Directive) require notification or registration before sale?
Pre-market product notification (not approval) to each member state's authority before the product is placed on that market (Art. 7).
Is a local responsible person mandatory in ASEAN (ASEAN Cosmetic Directive)?
The company or person responsible for placing the product on the market must be established in the member state where it is notified and is named on the label.
What are the labeling requirements in ASEAN (ASEAN Cosmetic Directive)?
Art. 6 and Appendix I: product name and function, full ingredient list (INCI, descending), country of manufacture, responsible company name/address, contents, batch, manufacture/expiry dates and warnings, in the language accepted by each member state; allergen naming is not mandated by the ACD itself.
What changed recently in ASEAN (ASEAN Cosmetic Directive) cosmetic regulation?
2026-06-30 Revised ACD Annexes II, III, IV and VI released after the 43rd ACC meeting: four azole antifungals banned, kojic acid limited to 1% (face/hand) and 0.2% (body), BHT and verbena absolute restricted, and chlorophene and 2-chloroacetamide removed as preservatives.
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