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Selling cosmetics in the UAE

In the UAE, cosmetics and personal care products fall under Cabinet Resolution No. 18 of 2014. Each needs a safety report and a MoIAT conformity certificate under ECAS before it is sold, and its label meets UAE.S GSO 1943. Perfumes have their own scheme. In Dubai, products are also registered in Dubai Municipality's Montaji system.

Updated · Each section links to the official source it comes from

Main text
Cabinet Resolution No. 18 of 2014
Safety standard
UAE.S GSO 1943
Certificate
MoIAT conformity certificate under ECAS, Model B
Good manufacturing practice
UAE.S GSO ISO 22716
Dubai registration
Dubai Municipality's Montaji system
Medicated products
The Emirates Drug Establishment

Before a product goes on sale

The questions to answer, in the order they usually come up.

  1. 1Is it a cosmetic or personal care product, or a medicated product? Read more
  2. 2Does it meet UAE.S GSO 1943, with a safety report from a qualified person? Read more
  3. 3Does the label meet the standard, including allergenic fragrance substances? Read more
  4. 4Has it been certified under ECAS before sale? Read more
  5. 5If sold in Dubai, is it registered in Montaji, and will each consignment clear? Read more

The rules, by area

What each area covers, the texts that set it, and what the official pages say.

Scope

What the cosmetics scheme covers.

  • Cabinet Resolution No. 18 of 2014 on the UAE scheme for the control of cosmetics and personal care products (قرار مجلس الوزراء رقم 18 لسنة 2014 بشأن النظام الإماراتي للرقابة على مستحضرات التجميل والعناية الشخصية) applies to cosmetics and personal care products placed on the market, made, imported, packed or used in the UAE.
  • It excludes medicated products used to treat disease, and the tools and devices that accompany cosmetics.
  • The Emirates Drug Establishment is the federal authority for medical and pharmaceutical products, including medicated cosmetics.
  • Perfumes and fragrances follow Cabinet Resolution No. 5 of 2014, with test reports against UAE.S GSO 1943 and labels meeting that standard.

How we help: Compliant Always records which scheme each product falls under, with the reasons, so a borderline product is decided once and kept on file. Ask about this

Safety and manufacturing

What the supplier answers for before sale.

  • The supplier meets the requirements of UAE.S GSO 1943 on the safety of cosmetic products.
  • A product safety report is prepared by a qualified person under the criteria in Annex 3 of the resolution, kept, and presented to the authorities on request.
  • Manufacturing meets UAE.S GSO ISO 22716 on good manufacturing practice, or another quality management system the authority accepts.
  • Packaging meets UAE.S GSO ISO 22715 on packaging and labelling, and glass containers meet UAE.S GSO 2093.
  • Products are tested by the test methods in the adopted standards, in laboratories the authority accepts.

How we help: Compliant Always keeps the safety report, GMP certificate and test reports with each product, and shows when one needs renewing. Ask about this

Labelling

What the pack shows.

  • Packs carry the labelling particulars of UAE.S GSO 1943, clearly and in a way that is hard to remove.
  • Allergenic fragrance substances in the formula are declared on the pack, as UAE.S GSO 1943 sets out.
  • Images and words on the pack do not offend public order or the Islamic values of the UAE.
  • Information on the label is accurate and scientifically supported.
  • The quantity is given in legal units, in line with UAE.S GSO OIML R87 on the quantity of product in prepackages.

How we help: Compliant Always reads your artwork against the labelling standard and the declared fragrance allergens, and keeps the reading with each label version. Ask about this

Conformity certificate

How a product is certified before sale.

  • Products made, packed or imported by the supplier are subject to ECAS conformity assessment Model B.
  • Retail outlets may not sell products covered by the scheme unless they are registered under ECAS or hold a conformity certificate.
  • MoIAT asks for a test report against UAE.S GSO 1943, the formula with ingredients and percentages, a free sale certificate for imported products, a distributor agreement, GMP evidence, the label and the safety report.
  • A product holding the Emirates Quality Mark, or another mark MoIAT recognises, is treated as meeting the scheme.

How we help: Compliant Always keeps the ECAS certificate and the file behind it with each product, and shows what will lapse before the certificate is renewed. Ask about this

Dubai registration and imports

Dubai Municipality's Montaji registration and port checks.

  • Dubai Municipality regulates cosmetics, personal care products and fragrances as consumer products, registered in Montaji before they are placed on the Dubai market.
  • Registration needs a free sale certificate authenticated in the country of origin, the artwork and the manufacturer's composition report, with a safety assessment for nano products and stability data where needed.
  • Imported consumer products have at least 50% of their shelf life remaining, and not less than six months, at entry.
  • Dubai Municipality publishes a list of non-complying cosmetics and personal care products.

How we help: Compliant Always keeps the Montaji documents with each product and consignment, and watches the non-complying lists for your products. Ask about this

Who answers for what

WhoWhat they answer forHow we help
SupplierMeeting the scheme at each stage of supply: safety, labelling and the conformity certificate.Certificates, reports and label versions in one place, dated.
ManufacturerGMP, the formula and the test reports behind the safety report.Manufacturer documents collected once and reused for each certificate.
Importer or local agentThe ECAS certificate and, in Dubai, Montaji registration and clearance.Registration and consignment documents read and dated before shipment.
RetailerSelling only products registered under ECAS or holding a conformity certificate.Certificates ready to show for each product on the shelf.

Emirates

Federal law and MoIAT's technical regulations apply across the seven emirates. The Product Safety Law applies to products placed on the market in the UAE, free zones included.

Food safety is enforced locally: the Abu Dhabi Agriculture and Food Safety Authority in Abu Dhabi, and the municipal authorities in Dubai and Sharjah (u.ae).

Dubai Municipality also requires regulated consumer products, such as cosmetics, detergents, health supplements and toys, to be registered in its Montaji system before they are placed on the Dubai market.

Questions businesses ask

Do I need to register cosmetics in the UAE?
Yes. Under Cabinet Resolution No. 18 of 2014, cosmetics are subject to ECAS, and retail outlets may not sell them unless they are registered under ECAS or hold a conformity certificate. Dubai also requires registration in Montaji.
Which standard do cosmetics have to meet in the UAE?
UAE.S GSO 1943 on the safety of cosmetic products, with UAE.S GSO ISO 22716 for good manufacturing practice and UAE.S GSO ISO 22715 for packaging and labelling.
Do cosmetics need a safety report in the UAE?
Yes. A product safety report is prepared by a qualified person under Annex 3 of Cabinet Resolution No. 18 of 2014, kept, and presented to the authorities on request.
What does MoIAT ask for to certify a cosmetic?
A test report against UAE.S GSO 1943, the formula with ingredients and percentages, a free sale certificate for imports, a distributor agreement, GMP evidence, the label and the safety report.
Do fragrance allergens have to be listed on UAE cosmetic labels?
Yes. Where a product contains allergenic fragrance substances, they are declared on the pack as UAE.S GSO 1943 sets out.
Are perfumes regulated separately in the UAE?
Yes. Perfumes and fragrances follow Cabinet Resolution No. 5 of 2014, with test reports and labels against UAE.S GSO 1943 and a free sale certificate for imports.
Who regulates medicated cosmetics in the UAE?
Medicated products used to treat disease are outside the cosmetics scheme. The Emirates Drug Establishment regulates medical and pharmaceutical products, including medicated cosmetics.
Do I need to register cosmetics with Dubai Municipality?
Yes. Cosmetics, personal care products and fragrances imported for the Dubai market are registered in Montaji by the importer or local agent before they are placed on the market.
Does the Emirates Quality Mark replace the conformity certificate?
A product holding the Emirates Quality Mark, or another mark MoIAT recognises, is treated as meeting the cosmetics scheme's requirements.
What shelf life must imported cosmetics have in Dubai?
At least 50% of the shelf life remaining, and not less than six months, at the time of entry.
How does Compliant Always help with selling in the UAE?
Our team reads the rules for the markets you sell in, including the federal schemes and the emirate-level registrations. Compliant Always shows which apply to your product, keeps the documents behind each one ready, and watches the sources for changes. It shows what the requirements say and what your documents show; you decide.

Sources

Compliant Always is a product of Lettuce Labs LLC. It shows what requirements say and what your documents show. It is not legal advice, and you decide.

Tell us what you make, and we will show you the rules for it.

Name the product and the markets you sell in. We will come back to you with what applies in the UAE and what your paperwork needs to show.

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