On September 7, 2026, the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety (MFDS) of South Korea announced the official establishment of the world's first cooperation platform for cosmetics regulatory authority heads — the Global Cosmetic Regulatory Authority Summit (GCORAS) — and held its first meeting in Seoul from September 7-9, 2026. The meeting was held under the theme "A Future of Trust Opened by Global Cosmetics Regulatory Innovation and Strategic Cooperation".
Background
The global cosmetics market is currently characterized by rapidly changing trends and fast technological iteration, and a multi-variety, small-batch production and distribution system has taken shape based on hyper-personalized demand. International cooperation among regulatory agencies for safety management has become increasingly important. Meanwhile, major markets are strengthening safety, environmental, and quality regulations in an all-round manner, and technical barriers are on the rise, including:
- Cosmetics safety assessment system: an evaluation conducted to demonstrate that a cosmetic is safe for human health under normal or reasonably foreseeable conditions of use. South Korea will implement it in a mandatory and phased manner from 2028;
- Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP): a system to ensure that cosmetics are consistently produced and managed in accordance with appropriate manufacturing and quality standards; multiple countries have been advancing its mandatory implementation; and
- Halal certification: continuing to expand in markets such as Southeast Asia and the Middle East.
Participants
The meeting brought together 15 agencies from 12 countries, including South Korea; major ASEAN cosmetics exporting countries such as Vietnam, Thailand, Indonesia, Malaysia, and the Philippines; key Middle Eastern countries such as the United Arab Emirates (UAE); and Latin American countries such as Brazil and Mexico. According to the MFDS, the participating countries account for approximately 46% of global cosmetics exports. Among the speakers, there were also representatives from Cosmetics Europe and Accord Australasia.
MFDS Minister stated: "GCORAS is the world's first global cooperation platform for cosmetics regulatory authority heads. It will serve as an important milestone for raising the level of global cosmetics safety management through international regulatory cooperation and strengthening the global competitiveness of the K-Beauty industry."
CIRS Reminder
The establishment of GCORAS marks a shift in global cosmetics regulation from "unilateral regulation" toward "multilateral collaboration," and regulatory harmonization in emerging markets such as ASEAN, the Middle East, and Latin America will become a future trend. CIRS Group advises relevant enterprises to:
- Pay attention to regulatory convergence in emerging markets: GCORAS member countries cover key emerging markets for cosmetics exports such as ASEAN, the Middle East, and Latin America. Regulatory requirements across countries (such as safety assessment, GMP, and Halal certification) may gradually converge in the future, and enterprises should plan ahead;
- Attach importance to GMP and safety assessments: South Korea will implement the cosmetics safety assessment system in a mandatory and phased manner from 2028, and the mandatory implementation of GMP is also a common regulatory direction in multiple countries. Relevant manufacturers should improve their quality management systems as early as possible; and
- Do not overlook Halal certification: enterprises exporting to markets such as Indonesia, Malaysia, and the UAE should pay close attention to each country's Halal certification requirements and transitional arrangements to ensure certification compliance.
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