Cosmetics Registration in Qatar
Regulatory Authority:
Pharmacy and Drug Control Department at the Ministry of Public Health (the ‘Drug Control Department’)
Link for RA:
https://www.moph.gov.qa/english/Pages/default.aspx
Local regulation:
Who can register :
A foreign company can register and sell their cosmetic products in Qatar by importation through a local agent who is registered and entitled under the laws of Qatar to import such products, or directly by establishing a legal presence in the country.
Data to be communicated :
- Registration certificate
- Registration certificate at GCC Ref. Countries
- Free sale certificate
- Composition certificate
- Certificate of analysis
- Product label and leaflet in the country of origin
- Price list
- Certificate of free of the product from hormones, anabolic steroids, anti-inflammatory steroids, psychotropic drugs, alcohol, heavy metals, pathogenic bacteria and fungi, pork & pork – derivatives if they are not included in the certificate of analysis
Process:
The Drug Control Department has established an application process that includes the following requirements:
- Identification of the product’s country of origin.
- A list of ingredients.
- Instructions on how to use and store the product.
- Details of any side effects or warnings.
- A sample of each product to be imported.
Following receipt of the application form, a committee of the Drug Control Department (the ‘Committee’) will evaluate whether the product falls under a specific classification or does not require registration and will produce a report to reflect this. Additional permits or laboratory tests may be necessary depending on the classification and components of the products. The Committee does not routinely conduct laboratory testing on the samples given by the applicant. Still, if it suspects that the products may contain prohibited chemicals in Qatar, it may do so (e.g. pork derivatives). A foreign company can register and sell its cosmetic products in Qatar either by importing them through a local agent who is registered and authorised to do so under Qatari legislation or by establishing a legal presence in the nation.
There are no particular laws or regulations governing the importation and distribution of cosmetic items in Qatar, and no specific penalties for non-compliance have been established. However, as previously stated, for the products to clear customs, the importer must present a copy of a Drug Control Department approval for the products to be imported into the country to the Customs Authority.
Timeframe and fees:
Additional information:
There are no particular laws or regulations governing the importation and distribution of cosmetic items in Qatar, and no specific penalties for non-compliance have been established. However, as previously stated, for the products to clear customs, the importer must present a copy of a Drug Control Department approval for the products to be imported into the country to the Customs Authority.
In addition to approving and classifying cosmetic products, the Drug Control Department, in collaboration with the Consumer Protection Department, regulates the display of products on the market to ensure compliance with applicable regulations relating to, among other things, labelling requirements and that no changes to the product’s details have been made since the Drug Control Department’s approval. Officials from the Ministry of Public Health investigate non-compliance issues from time to time (especially when a complaint is made or there is a general concern) by accessing shops or distributors’ facilities and taking random samples to be analysed. If non-compliance is discovered, the products may be taken off the market.