RESTRICTEDWORLD TRADE
ORGANIZATIONWT/ACC/TPKM/10
3 July 1998
(98-2643)
Working Party on the
Accession of Chinese TaipeiOriginal: English
ACCESSION OF CHINESE TAIPEI
Communication from Chinese Taipei
The following communication concerning the adoption of Codex standards has been received
from the Representation of the Separate Customs Territory of Taiwan, Penghu, Kinmen and Matsu
with the request that it be circulated to Working Party members.
_______________WT/ACC/TPKM/10
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Adoption of Codex Standards
in the Separate Customs Territory of Taiwan, Penghu, Kinmen, and Matsu
The sanitary requirements for either imported or domestically-produced food products in
Chinese Taipei are pursuant to the Law Governing Food Sanitation administrated by the Department
of Health (DOH).  In setting food sanitation standards, Chinese Taipei always takes Codex standards
into account and adopts those Codex standards to allow appropriate level of protection except there is
scientific justification for modification.
The issue of “Monitoring the Use of International Standards” has been continuously discussed
in the Committee on Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures since 1995.  It is understood that the natureof this issue is complicated and Members questioned the need to establish a list of all international
standards and to monitor their use and non-use.  Members also concluded that the monitoring of
international harmonization should seek to identify areas where the absence of an international
standard or where the existing standard is inappropriate.  Chinese Taipei would like to take the
maximum residue limits (MRLs) of pesticides in foods as a practical example to explain how ChineseTaipei utilises the Codex standards.
Both pesticides MRLs for crops and meat were promulgated by DOH to regulate the
pesticides residues in foods.  For crop products, there is a complete system of basic research and risk
assessment to support the set-up of appropriate stan dards.  The acceptable da ily intake (ADI) of a
pesticide established by Codex is adopted first, and the residue data obtained from field trials in
accordance with registered uses under good agricultural practices (GAP) are used for calculation.
Further, the exposure characteristics such as dietary pattern and pest control for local circumstances
are considered to obtain conclusions about the acceptance of the Codex MRLs.  Using the same
principles and practices, Chinese Taipei also establishes other standards based on scientificjustification for those pesticides without Codex MRLs on crops.
If there is a need raised by exporting country to set up new MRLs to facilitate its crops
importing into Chinese Taipei, a request for revisi on of the MRLs can be filed together with the
necessary information for review.  In response to such request, the DOH will fully take into account
all the information provided including the GAP of exporting countries in the use of particular
pesticides.  If the MRLs are revised after such review, the revised MRLs will be equally applied toboth domestic and imported products.
On the other hand, the basic research of pesticides residues in meat products is being
developed according to the model set for crop products.  Before scientific evidence is available for
standards set-up, the Codex MRLs for meat products are adopted for current application withoutfurther modification.
DOH has been in the process of actively collecting relevant international information,
reviewing current laws and regulations, promoting more effective measures, and intensifying basic
research and risk assessments.  To enhance the transparency of food sanitation measures, theinformation on food sanitation regulations is always available to the public in the form of brochures.
It can also be accessed at the web site of DOH (http://www.doh.gov.tw). Chinese Taipei has
established its enquiry point of SPS-WTO at the Council of Agriculture and the relevant information
is as follows:WT/ACC/TPKM/10
Page 3
Miss Ying Yeh
Chief, Plant Protection Division
Food and Agriculture Department
Council of Agriculture, Executive Yuan
37 Nanhai RoadTaipei, Taiwan 100
Tel: 886-2-23124039 / Fax: 886-2-23117621
E-mail: yingyeh@mail.coa.gov.tw
In addition, as the standards for food sanitation involves specialized technical issues, the
DOH has also designated the following address for contact by Members on the specific issues of food
sanitation:
Shu-Kong Chen, Ph.D.
Director
Bureau of Food Sanitation
Department of Health12F, 100 Ai-Kuo E. Road
Taipei, Taiwan 100
Tel: 886-2-23938209 / Fax: 886-2-23929723
E-mail: fscskg@dohr6.doh.gov.tw
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