On June 1, 2026, China’s two mandatory national standards for coatings, GB 30981.1-2025 for architectural coatings and GB 30981.2-2025 for industrial coatings, officially came into force. The change deserves close attention from overseas coating brands, importers, distributors, project contractors, and compliance service providers because the new requirements apply to imported coatings sold in China or used in China-related engineering projects.

Event Overview

GB 30981.1-2025 and GB 30981.2-2025 became effective on June 1, 2026. According to the available information, the two mandatory national standards introduce hazardous substance control across all coating categories and the full related chain.

The standards cover wall coatings, floor coatings, putty, color paste, curing agents, and other supporting auxiliary materials. They also tighten limits for volatile organic compounds, semi-volatile organic compounds, heavy metals, and persistent organic pollutants.

The available information also makes clear that the standards apply to imported coatings entering the Chinese market. Overseas brands that sell coatings in China or participate in China-related engineering projects, including EPC contracting and infrastructure subcontracting, must complete testing and certification under the updated standards and revise safety data sheets and labels accordingly.

This regulatory change directly affects customs clearance, filing procedures, and end-customer delivery compliance for global importers and distributors.

Subsectors and Business Roles Affected

Overseas Coating Brands and Manufacturers

Overseas coating brands are directly affected because the new standards apply to imported coatings sold in China. If their products fall within architectural coatings, industrial coatings, or related auxiliary materials, they need to confirm whether existing test reports, product documentation, safety data sheets, and labels remain valid under the updated requirements.

The main impact is on product compliance verification before market entry. Analysis shows that the tightened limits for VOCs, SVOCs, heavy metals, and persistent organic pollutants may require companies to re-check product specifications and supporting materials before shipment or project delivery.

Importers and Direct Trade Companies

Importers face direct operational pressure because the standards affect customs clearance, filing, and downstream delivery compliance. Products that previously entered the market under earlier documentation may need updated testing and certification before they can be sold or delivered in China.

From an industry perspective, importers should not treat this only as a technical standard update. It is more suitable to understand it as a compliance-chain issue involving product classification, document review, shipment timing, customer communication, and post-entry distribution control.

Distributors and Channel Operators

Distributors and channel operators may be affected when they handle imported coatings or related auxiliary products for sale in China. Their risk is mainly reflected in whether products in circulation have updated compliance documents, revised labels, and safety data sheets aligned with the new standards.

Observably, channel companies may need closer coordination with overseas suppliers and upstream importers. If documentation is incomplete or not updated in time, downstream sales, customer acceptance, and project handover may face delays.

Engineering Contractors and Project Supply Chains

Companies involved in China-related engineering projects, including EPC contractors and infrastructure subcontractors, should pay attention because the available information explicitly mentions imported coatings used in such projects. Coatings supplied for project use may need to meet the new standards even when sourced from overseas brands.

The impact is mainly concentrated in material approval, project procurement, delivery inspection, and customer acceptance. Current attention should focus on whether imported coatings and supporting materials used in active or upcoming projects have completed the required testing, certification, SDS updates, and label revisions.

Testing, Certification, and Compliance Service Providers

Testing and compliance service providers are affected because overseas brands, importers, and distributors may need updated testing and certification under GB 30981.1-2025 and GB 30981.2-2025. The demand is tied to product entry, filing, labeling, and delivery compliance.

Analysis shows that service providers should pay close attention to product category coverage, especially auxiliary materials such as putty, color paste, and curing agents, because the new standards cover the full supporting chain rather than only finished coating products.

Key Issues to Watch and Practical Responses

Review Product Scope Before Shipment

Companies should first confirm whether products fall under architectural coatings, industrial coatings, or supporting auxiliary materials covered by the new standards. This review should include wall coatings, floor coatings, putty, color paste, curing agents, and other related materials.

From an industry perspective, early product-scope confirmation can reduce uncertainty in customs clearance, filing, and project delivery. It also helps overseas suppliers and China-based partners determine which products require updated testing and documentation.

Update Testing, Certification, SDS, and Labels

The available information states that overseas brands selling in China or participating in China-related projects must complete updated testing and certification and revise safety data sheets and labels. Companies should therefore compare existing documentation with the requirements of GB 30981.1-2025 and GB 30981.2-2025.

Current attention should focus on whether documents used for customs, filing, distribution, and project delivery are consistent with the new standards. Inconsistent documentation may create compliance risks even if the product itself has previously been accepted in the market.

Coordinate Import, Distribution, and Project Delivery Timelines

Importers, distributors, and project suppliers should align shipment plans with the new compliance requirements. If testing, certification, SDS updates, or label revisions are still pending, companies may need to adjust delivery schedules or communicate compliance status to downstream customers in advance.

Analysis shows that the practical challenge is not limited to testing. The issue extends to how quickly updated documents can be integrated into customs clearance, filing, warehouse distribution, and project acceptance processes.

Separate Regulatory Signals from Business Execution

The standards are already in force, so the core requirement is no longer a future policy signal. However, Observably, companies still need to monitor how specific business processes such as filing, customs documentation, project material approval, and customer acceptance are implemented in practice.

Companies should keep internal records of product categories, applicable standards, test status, SDS versions, label versions, and customer communication. This helps reduce ambiguity when imported coatings move through multiple parties in the compliance chain.

Editorial View / Industry Observation

Analysis shows that the implementation of GB 30981.1-2025 and GB 30981.2-2025 is better understood as a compliance-chain reset for coatings entering or used in the Chinese market, rather than a single product testing update.

From an industry perspective, the most important change is the combination of broader product coverage and stricter hazardous substance limits. Finished coatings and supporting auxiliary materials are now part of the same compliance concern, which may affect how overseas brands, importers, distributors, and project contractors manage documentation and delivery responsibility.

Current attention should focus on execution. The standards have already taken effect, but companies still need to observe how updated testing, certification, SDS revision, labeling, customs clearance, filing, and project delivery requirements are handled across different business scenarios.

Conclusion

The June 1, 2026 implementation of China’s new mandatory coating standards has direct implications for imported architectural coatings, industrial coatings, and related auxiliary materials. It affects not only manufacturers, but also importers, distributors, engineering contractors, and compliance service providers.

It is more suitable to understand this development as an active compliance requirement that has already entered the business execution stage. Companies involved in China-bound coating trade or China-related projects should review product scope, update required documents, and coordinate supply-chain communication with a practical and evidence-based approach.

Information Sources

Main source: Provided event information on the implementation of GB 30981.1-2025 and GB 30981.2-2025 on June 1, 2026.

Items requiring continued observation: practical implementation in customs clearance, filing procedures, project material approval, and downstream delivery acceptance for imported coatings and related auxiliary materials.