China Promulgates Revised Measures for Environmental Management Registration of New Chemical Substances

On October 24, 2026, China's Ministry of Ecology and Environment (MEE) officially promulgated the revised Measures for the Environmental Management Registration of New Chemical Substances (MEE Order No. 12). The revised measures entered into force on the date of promulgation.Compared to the draft revision released for public comment in June 2026, the final version incorporates key industry feedback: the exemption provisions—which had been slated for removal in the draft—have been retained following minor adjustments; the "Notification" mechanism (previously proposed for abolition) has been restructured into a newly established "Formal Registration" category; and the "Series Registration" framework has been preserved. Conversely, the abolition of the "Registration Agent System," as proposed in the draft, has been fully upheld, officially closing the avenue through which overseas entities could apply directly via domestic agents in China. Overall, the officially promulgated version reflects industry petitions, resulting in regulatory requirements that are comparatively less restrictive than those initially set forth in the draft.