G/TBT/2/Add.69/Rev.1  
 
20 June 2018  
(18-3856) Page: 1/2 
Committee on Technical Barriers to Trade  Original: English  
 
IMPLEMENTATION AND A DMINISTRATION OF THE  AGREEMENT  
ON TECHNICAL BARRIER S TO TRADE  
COMMUNICATION FROM T HE SEPARATE CUSTOMS TERRITORY OF TAIWAN,   
PENGHU,  KINMEN AND MATSU  
Revision  
The following communication under Article 15.2 of the Agreement on Technical Barriers to Trade , 
dated  15 June 2018 , has been received from the delegation of The Separate Customs Territory of 
Taiwan, Penghu, Kinmen and Matsu .  
_______________  
 
 
Pursuant to Article 15.2 of the Agreement on Technical Barriers to Trade, the Separate Cu stoms 
Territory of Taiwan, Penghu, Kinmen and Matsu would like to notify changes to the statement on 
the implementation and administration of the Agreement, as notified by G/TBT/2/Add.69, dated 11 
July 2002.  
 
1  TECHNICAL REGULATION S AND CONFORMITY ASS ESSMENT  PROCEDURES  
1.1.  Technical regulations and conformity assessment procedures are developed and implemented 
by regulatory authorities having jurisdictions over specific products. The Administrative Procedure 
Act stipulates rules for all administrative authorities  to follow in performing their duties, which 
among other things include the basic principles of the TBT Agreement on due process, 
transparency and public consultation. A minimum of 60 -day comment period is generally provided.  
1.2.  Notices of proposed or adopted  technical regulations and conformity assessment procedures 
are published in the government gazette and available in the following websites:  
a. https://gazette.nat.gov.tw/egFront/indexEng.do  (drafts and adopted text)  
b. https://join.gov.tw/policies/index  (drafts open for comments)  
c. https://law.moj.gov.tw  (adopted text)  
2  STANDARDS  
2.1.  The Standards Act, of which the com petent authority is the Ministry of Economic Affairs, 
governs standardization activities in the Separate Customs Territory of Taiwan, Penghu, Kinmen 
and Matsu. The Bureau of Standards, Metrology and Inspection (BSMI) is appointed to carry out 
relevant work , in particular the development of CNS. The BSMI notified its acceptance of Code of 
Good Practice for the Preparation, Adoption and Application of Standards on 30 July 2002 
(G/TBT/CS/N/146).  
2.2.  CNS, developed by consensus, is voluntary except where all or par t of it is referenced in 
regulations by competent authorities of jurisdiction over specific business. The Standards Act and 
its implementing regulations require that, where international standards exist or their completion 
is imminent, all or relevant part  of them shall be used as the basis of drafting CNS. The Separate G/TBT/2/Add.69/Rev.1  
 
- 2 - 
 
  Customs Territory of Taiwan, Penghu, Kinmen and Matsu is not a member of important 
international standardizing organizations, such as ISO, IEC or ITU. However, it spares no efforts to 
align its CNS with relevant international standards so as to comply with the obligations of the TBT 
Agreement.  
2.3.  Once the CNS draft has been prepared, a notice of its availability shall be published at the 
following BSMI webpage. A comment period of not less  than 60 days shall be provided 
https://www.bsmi.gov.tw/bsmiGIP/wSite/lp?ctNode=4020&xq_xCat=c&mp=1  
2.4.  The work programme required by Paragraph J of the Code of Good Practice is als o published 
at the following BSMI webpage    
https://www.bsmi.gov.tw/wSite/lp?ctNode=4019&CtUnit=1341&BaseDSD=7&mp=1  
3  ACCREDITATION  
3.1.  The development of accreditation system in the Separate Customs Territory of Taiwan, 
Penghu, Kinmen and Matsu is mainly governed by the Implementing Regulations of Accreditation, 
promulgated under the authorization of Article 14 of the Standards Act in 2004. TAF1, a non -profit 
and self-funded organization, provides accreditation services in a wide range of areas and operates 
in line with international standards. The TAF is a signatory to mutual or multilateral recognition 
arrangements developed by regional and international accredit ation organizations, such as Pacific 
Accreditation Cooperation (PAC), Asia Pacific Laboratory Accreditation Cooperation (APLAC), 
International Accreditation Forum (IAF) and International Laboratory Accreditation Cooperation 
(ILAC).  
4  INTERNAL COORDINATIO N ME CHANISM  
4.1.  The Separate Customs Territory of Taiwan, Penghu, Kinmen and Matsu has formed an 
interagency TBT Sub -committee to deal with and coordinate all matters relating to the 
implementation of TBT Agreement. The Sub -committee is composed of regulatory auth orities, 
industry representatives and academics. The Sub -committee serves as a platform for exchanging 
experiences and practices by regulators as well as for updating issues discussed at the TBT 
Committee.  
4.2.  The BSMI operates the TBT Enquiry Point in accord ance with the Operation Points for 
Enquiries Concerning the World Trade Organization’s Agreement on Technical Barriers to Trade, 
promulgated in 1995 and revised in 2002. It is also responsible for notification procedures 
stipulated in Article 10.10 of the TBT Agreement. The contact information is as follows:  
Name:  The Bureau of Standards, Metrology and Inspection  
  Ministry of Economic Affairs  
Address:  4 Chinan Road, Section 1  
  Taipei City 100, Taiwan  
Tel:  +(886 -2)2343 -1916, +(886 -2)2343 -1813 
Fax:  +(886 -2)2343 -1804 
E-mail: tbtenq@bsmi.gov.tw  
 
__________  
                                                
1 https://www.taftw.org.tw