International cosmetics regulatory group to meet in Taipei from July 9-11

Taipei, June 26 (CNA) The Taiwan Food and Drug Administration (TFDA) said Wednesday that it will host officials and representatives from eight countries in Taipei for the International Cooperation on Cosmetics Regulation's 18th annual meeting from July 9 to 11.

Established in 2007, the International Cooperation on Cosmetics Regulation (ICCR) is a voluntary international group of cosmetics regulatory authorities from Brazil, Canada, Taiwan, the European Union, Israel, Japan, South Korea, and the United States.

ICCR aims to provide a platform for its members to share trends and experiences in cosmetics regulations and discuss issues related to the management of emerging cosmetics, Yang I-chen (楊怡真), a senior specialist at TFDA's Division of Medical Devices and Cosmetics, told a news conference.

The TFDA, which assumed the ICCR's rotating chairmanship in 2023, will also host an international symposium on July 11, according to Yang.

"The symposium will be attended by industry and official representatives from over 12 countries," Yang said, estimating that the symposium, titled "Transformation and Innovation in Cosmetic Industry," will draw around 300 participants.

Yang said that the TFDA first co-joined the ICCR with the Taiwan Cosmetics Industry Association as an observer in 2016, and the TFDA became an official member of the ICCR in 2020.

Also at Wednesday's press conference, TFDA Deputy Director-General Wang Der-yuan (王德原) announced that a new regulation on cosmetics will be implemented on July 1, eliminating the distinction between general cosmetics and "specific purpose cosmetics."

According to "Cosmetic Hygiene and Safety Act," cosmetics in Taiwan are currently divided into two categories: general cosmetic products and "specific purpose cosmetics." The latter includes examples such as hair dyeing agents and sunscreen, which require inspection and registration.

To implement cosmetics regulation more simply and comprehensively, the TFDA will push for a registration system for cosmetic products, establish product information files, and introduce a system for designated signatories for the safety data of cosmetics, Wang said.

Meanwhile, the TFDA also announced that new regulations setting or lowering limits on heavy metals in infant food and beverages, livestock offal, and nuts and oilseeds will take effect on July 1.

The revised "Sanitation Standard for Contaminants and Toxins in Food" lowers lead limits and sets new cadmium limits for infant foods and beverages, lowers lead limits for livestock offal, and for the first time, includes cadmium limits for nuts and oilseeds, according to the TFDA.

TFDA Deputy Director-General Lin Chin-fu (林金富) said infant foods are already subject to more stringent regulation as heavy metals can affect neurological development and cause lifelong sequelae.

As for livestock offal, nuts, and oilseeds, the consideration is based on the dietary habits of Taiwanese people, Lin added.