al-Hussein al-Ouardi
Cosmetic products will now be subject to registration prior to their marketing on the Moroccan market. According to the Circular No. 48 DMP/20 published on August 17th by the Moroccan Health Ministry, cosmetic manufacturers or importers must now file a product registration application with the Direction du Médicament et de la Pharmacie (DMP).
Safety of use
According to Moroccan Health Minister al-Hussein al-Ouardi, this text aims to protect the health of Moroccan consumers by guaranteeing the "quality, efficiency, safety of use of the cosmetic and hygiene products available on the domestic marketplace." The Minister also stated that this procedure was introduced on a temporary basis "pending the enactment of a specific regulation in this area".
The circular sets out a number of general principles very similar to those of the EU Directive 76/768/EEC and also explicitly refers to the Annexes of this text. It thus provides that "cosmetic products put on the market must not cause damage to human health when applied under normal or reasonably foreseeable conditions of use, taking account, in particular, of the product’s presentation, its labelling, any instructions for its use and disposal as well as any other indication or information provided by the manufacturer or his authorized agent or by any other person responsible for placing the products on the market".
The circular prohibits the use in cosmetics of "substances known to be carcinogenic, mutagenic or toxic for reproduction".
Furthermore, it also creates a Commission of Cosmetology in charge of examining registration applications and to advise the Minister of Health on all matters concerning the suspension, removal or prohibition of sale of cosmetics.
Registration file
To be registered, a cosmetic product shall comply with the requirements stated in the circular, particularly concerning its safety, composition and labelling. The manufacturer, packer or importer of the product must also have declared their activity and have some qualified staff in charge of quality control and of the evaluation of the products’ safety.
The registration file consists of an administrative and of a technical part. In addition to the usual elements (corporate identity, product identification, etc.), the administrative part must also include a certificate of free sale and an acknowledgement letter from the poison control and pharmacovigilance centre. The technical part includes: the qualitative and quantitative composition of the product, the raw materials monographs and specifications, the microbiological specifications, the analytical results of the finished products, the name and addresses of the qualified and responsible persons, the claim substantiation, etc.
Once issued, the marketing authorization is valid for 5 years. The application for renewal must be submitted three months before its expiry date.
The text of the circular can be read (in French or in Arabic) on the website of the Moroccan Ministry of Health: www.sante.gov.ma
