On March 06, 2016, China's Ministry of Environmental
Protection (MEP) submitted a proposed draft rule on chemical
substances, the Guidance for New Chemical Substance
Notification and Registration (Draft) (2016 Guidelines) to the
World Trade Organization for public comment. The Guidelines
are expected to be formally adopted on May 04, 2016 and come into
force on November 01, 2016.
China's primary legislation on chemical substances,
Provisions on the Environmental Administration of New Chemical
Substances (Order No. 17)(Provisions), came into effect on October
15, 2003, and China has issued three further supporting Guidance
documents since then: Guidance for New Chemical Substance
Notification (Trial) in December 2003; Guidance for New
Chemical Substance Notification (1st edition) issued in
October 2004; and in conjunction with a revision to the Provisions
issued in January 2010 (taking effect on October 15, 2010), further
revisions to the the Guidance for New
