G/SPS/N/TPKM/526  
 
16 April 2020  
(20-2971) Page: 1/2 
Committee on Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures  Original: English  
 
  
NOTIFICATION  
1. Notifying Member:  THE SEPARATE CUSTOMS  TERRITORY OF TAIWAN , PENGHU, 
KINMEN AND MATSU  
If applicable, name of local government involved:   
2. Agency responsible:  Bureau of Animal and Plant Health Inspection and Quarantine, 
Council of Agriculture  
3. Products covered (provide tariff item number(s) as specified in national 
schedules deposited with the WTO; ICS numbers should be provided in addition, 
where applicable ): Goods subject to veterinary or phytosanitary inspection.  
4. Regions or countries likely to be affected, to the extent relevant or practicable : 
[X] All trading partners   
[ ] Specific regions or countries:   
5. Title of the notified document:  Temporary Alternative Arrangements of the 
Presentation of Original Veterinary and Phytosanitary Certificates in the Condition of 
COVID -19 Pandemic . Language(s):  Chinese . Number of pages:  1 
https://members.wto.org/crnattachments/2020/SPS/TPKM/20_2725_00_x.pdf  
6. Description of content:  Temporary alternative arrangements to the presentation of 
original veterinary or phytosanitary certificates due to movement impact of airfreight and 
courier mail as a result of COVID -19 pandemic are as follows:  
1. Imports of goods, subject to veterinary or phytosanitary inspection are allowed with 
a copy of original vet erinary or phytosanitary certificate with import consignments in 
line with the following alternative guarantee options:  
a) A scanned copy of the veterinary or phytosanitary certificate shall be 
emailed/faxed to the Bureau of Animal and Plant Health Inspection and 
Quarantine (BAPHIQ) branch office  in advance  from the exporting country's 
central  competent authority or  representative office in the Separate Customs 
Territory of Taiwan, Penghu, Kinmen and Matsu, or our representative offices in 
the export ing country.  
b) If the exporting country's certificate features a quick response code (QR Code) or 
an official website which provides complete details of the cargo or electronic copy 
of certificate, it can be exempted from the prior delivery of the scanned ce rtificate 
to BAPHIQ, as mentioned above.  
2. The importers shall pledge to submit the original veterinary or phytosanitary 
certificate in  a timely manner to temporarily fulfill the quarantine requirements. Once 
the original certificate is submitted  to BAPHIQ, the import case is closed.  
3. These arrangements will be in place until 30 June 2020. BAPHIQ will subsequently 
assess and adjust the arrangements according to the implementation situation and 
the status of the COVID -19 pandemic.  
7. Objective and rationale: [  ] food safety, [X]  animal health, [X]  plant protection, 
[X] protect humans from animal/plant pest or disease, [  ] protect territory from 
other damage from pests.   G/SPS/N/TPKM/526  
 
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  8. Is there a relevant international standard? If so, identify the standard:  
[ ] Codex Alimentarius Commission (e.g.  title or serial number of Codex 
standard or related text) :  
[ ] World Organization for Animal Health (OIE) (e.g.  Terrestrial or Aquatic 
Animal Health Code, chapter number) :  
[ ] International Plant Protection Conventio n (e.g.  ISPM number) :  
[X] None  
Does this proposed regulation conform to the relevant international standard?  
[ ] Yes   [  ] No 
If no, describe, whenever possible, how and why it deviates from the 
international standard:   
9. Other relevant documents and language(s) in which these are available:  
10. Proposed date of adoption (dd/mm/yy) : 31 March 2020  
Proposed date of publication (dd/mm/yy) :  
11. Proposed date of entry into force: [  ] Six months from date of publication , 
and/or  (dd/mm/yy) : 31 March 2020  
[X] Trade facilitating measure   
12. Final date for comments: [  ] Sixty days from the date of circulation of the 
notification and/or (dd/mm/yy) : Not applicable.  
Agency or authority designated to handle comments: [  ] National Notification 
Authority, [X]  National Enquiry Point. Address, fax number and e -mail address 
(if available) of other body:   
Bureau of Animal and Plant Health Inspection and Quarantine, Council of Agriculture  
9F, No.100, Sec. 2, Heping W. Rd., Zhongzheng Dist ., Taipei City, 10070, Taiwan  
Tel: +(886) 233 432 091  
Fax: +(886) 223 322 200  
E-mail: wtosps@mail.baphiq.gov.tw   
13. Text(s) available from: [  ] National Notification Authority, [X]  National Enquiry 
Point. Address, fax number and e -mail address (if available) of other body:   
Bureau of Animal and Plant Health Inspection and Quarantine, Council of Agriculture  
9F, No.100, Sec. 2, Heping W. Rd., Zhongzheng Dist., Taipei City, 10070, Taiwan  
Tel: +(886) 233  432 091  
Fax: +(886) 223 322 200  
E-mail: wtosps@mail.baphiq.gov.tw