Search

Seventy products at HS 10-digit level are prohibited from entry into Chinese Taipei. They cover, inter alia, whale sharks, puffer fish, narcotics, toxic chemicals, fire extinguishers , and waste lead-acid accumulators (Table A3.3). The authorities impose import prohibitions for reasons of public security, environmental protection, and compliance with its international obligations.

Exports of 35 products at HS 10-digit level are prohibited (Table A3.5), most of these are banned under international conventions or to protect human health, culture, and the environment (e.g. toxic chemicals, warfare, and whale shark, poisonous herbs, and antiques over 100 years old); in addition, sand pebbles and gravels are banned from export on the ground of environmental protection.

Import licences (e.g. import permits or import clearance certificates) are issued by the BOFT. Prior to applying for a licence, importers must obtain approval from the relevant sector specific authority (e.g. the Council of Agriculture, or the Food and Drug Administration) (Table 3.9). These conditions apply for reasons of, inter alia, requirements of trade agreements; essential security; and protection of culture, humans, and the environment.

Table 3.9 Prior approval authorities for import licences
Goods: Methyl bromide; HCFCs
Approval authority: Environmental Protection Administration
Rationale: To comply with obligations set out in the Montreal Protocol

Goods: Breeding livestock/poultry; Genetic resources, genetically modified breeding stock/poultry and genetic resources
Approval authority: Council of Agriculture
Rationale: To preserve public health and safety of humans, animals, and to prevent entry of infectious diseases from abroad

Goods: Yellow-fin tuna; Bluefin tuna; Southern Bluefin tuna; Swordfish; Big-eye tuna
Approval authority: Fisheries Agency
Rationale: To protect marine ecology

Goods: Oil and petroleum products
Approval authority: Bureau of Energy
Rationale: To promote the sound development of the oil industry; to develop the national economy and enhance people's livelihoods; to protect the environment

Goods: Fishing boats
Approval authority: Fisheries Agency
Rationale: To maintain the sustainability of fishery resources

The basic framework for import prohibitions, restrictions, and licensing has remained largely unchanged since 2010, although live marine mammalian wildlife and their products have been included in import restrictions since 25 January 2013. The relevant legislation includes the Foreign Trade Act; the Regulations Governing Import of Commodities; the Regulations on Import and Export of Endangered Species of Wild Fauna, Flora and Related Products; and the Regulations Governing Export and Import of Strategic High-Tech Commodities.

Importation of plants and plant product is subject to prior clearance from the authorities. Hazardous insects, soil, plants with soil, and their containers are prohibited from importation. A detailed list of plant quarantine requirements is published, and available to the public; the recent updated version entered into force on 23 May 2014. There are two categories of quarantine requirements on the list: import prohibition and import permit. The import prohibition list is country- and plant-specific. For imports of plants subject to quarantine requirements must have phytosanitary certificates issued by the competent authorities of the exporting country must be submitted prior to the shipments' arrival in Chinese Taipei.

Genetically modified plants that have been authorized for domestic promotion and sale must be labelled in accordance with provisions in the Commodity Labelling Act. Moreover, genetically modified plants on the market must be clearly labelled "Genetically Modified" and display the unique GM plant identification number issued by the Council of Agriculture.

Genetically modified plants, breeding flocks/stocks, and aquatic products need approval from the competent authorities prior to their importation/exportation. Approvals of genetically modified plant imports/exports are issued by the Council of Agriculture. The competent authorities may take samples from the imported consignments for the purpose of verifying the nature of imported genetically modified plants.

(…) Section 12(2) of Act No. 26 of 2009, which amends the Consumer Protection Act, stipulates that "if a good is or contains a living modified organism the approved standards applied to it shall comply with any standards or conditions set by the National Biosafety Committee".

Labelling of GM food follows a voluntary "positive labelling" approach, i.e. any food with 5% or more GM materials in their respective food ingredient(s) should be labelled as "genetically modified". The negative labelling approach, i.e. "GM free" or similar labels, is not recommended, as the authorities consider this might be misleading to consumers.