China to lift US cosmetic ban

Chinese Minister Li - the Minister of Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine (AQSIQ) - has informed the FDA that following discussions in Beijing, the Chinese government has decided to resume US cosmetic imports.

The ban, which was issued after the discovery of a BSE infected cow in Washington, cost the US an estimated loss of $100 million in exports.

BSE - a chronic, degenerative disease that affects the central nervous system of cattle - was first diagnosed in Britain in 1986 when over 3.7 million cattle had to be destroyed.

A rare human form known as variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (CJD) is thought to result from consuming contaminated cattle products. There is no cure for the human form of the disease, which is known to have killed more than 100 people in Britain and Europe.

The discovery of BSE in America caused many in the personal care industry to call for tighter testing on animals to be carried out, with China reacting with the decision to suspend US cosmetic imports for fear that the condition may spread.

The Chinese government has also announced the acceptance of export certificates issued by the Cosmetic, Toiletry, and Fragrance Association, and the Independent Cosmetic Manufacturers and Distributors Association to document that imported products do not contain any animal-related ingredients not allowed in China.