Retinal update: Accord lodges AICIS assessment application

Key points

• In June 2026, AICIS stopped retinal from being introduced through the Exempted and Reported pathways. Those were the routes all retinal cosmetics were imported under. Read our earlier update.
• The only way to resume commercial imports is an AICIS assessment certificate. Each application costs at least $20,385, plus the cost of any data AICIS needs.
• To share that cost, Accord applied for a certificate on 13 October 2026 on behalf of a group of companies.
• A decision is expected by late January 2027, though it may take longer.
• Consumers should watch for counterfeit products online.
• The TGA is reviewing limits for other retinoids.

Accord lodges AICIS assessment application

This is a follow-up to our earlier update on the restriction on import of products containing retinal. On 13 October 2026, Accord lodged an application with the Australian Industrial Chemicals Introduction Scheme (AICIS) for an assessment certificate for retinal. We lodged it on behalf of a group of companies that will become ‘persons covered by the certificate’ and they will be allowed to introduce retinal under the conditions specified by AICIS in its assessment certificate once it is issued.

AICIS has a legislated timeframe of 70 working days to finalise an assessment. Based on that timeframe, we expect the assessment to be finalised by the end of January 2027. AICIS has cautioned, however, that it could take longer. as the regulator can stop the clock to ask for more information or data, and the clock stays stopped until the applicant responds. Requests like this could push finalisation past January.

Accord plans to allow companies that are not currently participating in this group assessment application process to introduce under the assessment certificate once issued by AICIS, to ensure we support healthy competition. However, whether this can be achieved will be dependent on import volume limitation imposed by AICIS.

Until AICIS issues the certificate, it is illegal to import any product containing retinal for commercial supply in Australia. Importing retinal products for personal use is still legal.

A word of caution for consumers

We have been advised by member companies that counterfeit retinal products are being purchased by Australian consumers via overseas websites. Consumers should exercise caution when purchasing products online. Check that the supplier is legitimate and only buy from reputable companies.

Other retinoid news

The TGA is also considering a proposal to amend the Poisons Standard. It would lower the maximum concentration of five other vitamin A ingredients in topical products: retinol and four retinyl esters. The current limit is 1%. The proposal would reduce this to 0.05% retinol equivalents in body lotion and 0.3% retinol equivalents in other topical products, in line with the EU limits. You can find the consultation documents here. The consultation is now closed. Accord made a submission. Based on the review of our evidence, we proposed keeping the 1% limit for most cosmetic products, with a limit of 0.2% for leave-on products applied to the whole body.

Register your interest

If your company isn’t part of the current application and would like to be considered once AICIS issues the certificate, contact our regulatory team via the form below. Inclusion will depend on the import volume limits AICIS sets, so we encourage you to register your interest early.