General Information on the Draft Amendment to Articles 5 and 6  
of the Agrochemical Labelling Supervision Regulations 
 
The Agrochemical Labelling Supervision Re gulations were promulgated and entered 
into force on 15 December 2003. They were amended on 18 June 2009 and 12 February 2014. 
Given that genetically modified products are a matter of concern for the people of Taiwan, 
and having regard to the Food Safety and Sanita tion Act and the relevant  EU legislation, we 
have added new mandatory GM labelling requirements for pr oducts containi ng genetically 
modified micro-organisms, enabling agrochemi cal users to identify whether or not active 
ingredients in these products contain genetically modified micro-organisms. The draft 
amendment to Articles 5 and 6 of the Agroch emical Labelling Superv ision Regulations is 
hereby proposed. 
  
 
      
 
      
 
   
Comparative Table on the Draft Ame ndment to Articles 5 and 6 of the 
Agrochemical Labelling Supervision Regulations 
Amended version Current version Explanatory notes 
Article 5: Labels on 
agrochemicals must specify the following: (1) Agrochemical permit number; (2) Name, address and telephone number of the agrochemical permit holder; (3) Date of manufacture, batch number and expiry date of the agrochemical; (4) Common name(s) of the agrochemical; (5) Poisoning prevention and detoxification measures; (6) Highly toxic agrochemicals must be labelled 'highly toxic agrochemicals'; likewise, genetically modified 
agrochemicals must be 
labelled 'GM agrochemicals',  
whereas 
other agrochemicals must be labelled 'agrochemicals'; (7) Warning labels and notes; (8) Product importers must indicate the name and address of the manufacturing plant abroad; (9) Repackers must indicate the name and address of the repackaging plant, as well as the date of repackaging; (10) Processors must indicate the name and address of the processing plant; (11) Brand name products 
must have their brand name  
indicated;  
(12) Dosage form, physical Article 5: Labels on 
agrochemicals must specify the following: (1) Agrochemical permit number; (2) Name, address and telephone number of the agrochemical permit holder; (3) Date of manufacture, batch number and expiry date of the agrochemical; (4) Common name(s) of the agrochemical; (5) Poisoning prevention and detoxification measures; (6) Highly toxic agrochemicals must be labelled 'highly toxic agrochemicals'; whereas other agrochemicals must be labelled 'agrochemicals'; 
(7) Warning labels and 
notes; (8) Product importers must indicate the name and address of the manufacturing plant abroad; (9) Repackers must indicate the name and address of the repackaging plant, as well as the date of repackaging; (10) Processors must indicate the name and addressof the processing plant; (11) Indication of the brand name, not applicable for products without a brand name; (12) Dosage form, physical properties, active ingredients, other ingredients and their quantities; (1) Under Article 3(11) of the 
Food Safety and Sanitation Act, genetic modification is defined as the use of techniques in genetic engineering or molecular biotechnology to transfer or introduce heritable genetic material into a living cell or organism, resulting in genetic re-combinations which, consequently, lead to the expression of features belonging to the exogenous genetic material, or features that were unexpressed in the organism itself. Traditional breeding techniques, fusion
 
of cells or protoplasts between organisms of the same species, hybridisation, mutagenesis, in vitro 
fertilisation, somatic 
mutation, and chromosome doubling are not included in this definition. The related EU directive (Directive 2001/18/EC) serves as a reference for defining whether an organism is 'genetically modified' or not, based on the criterion of different ways of genetic re-combination. In order to guarantee consumer safety and enhance consumer understanding of agrochemical ingredients, the sixth item has been amended to require mandatory 'genetically modified' labelling if active ingredients of the product contain genetically modified micro-properties, active ingredients, 
other ingredients and their quantities; (13) Net weight or volume of the agrochemical must be indicated and must be expressed in SI units
. If the 
product is packed in individual packages, the number of these smaller packages should also be indicated, together with the net weight or volume of each individual package; (14) Usage instructions and range of application; (15) Indicate the required interval in days between 
application of the 
agrochemical and harvest; (16) Precautions when storing and applying the agrochemical; (17) Container disposal methods; (18) Other labels required by central authorities.  The aforementioned items must be indicated on a label which is securely affixed to the agrochemical container or package. Containers or packages with limited labelling space must indicate at least items (1) to (7) on the container, and provide the full list of items in the attached agrochemical instruction manual. (13) Net weight or volume of 
the agrochemical must be indicated and must be specified in metric units. If the product is packed in individual packages, the number of these smaller packages should also be indicated, together with the net weight or volume of each individual package; (14) Usage instructions and range of application; (15) Indicate the required interval in days between application of the agrochemical and harvest; (16) Precautions when 
storing and applying the 
agrochemical; (17) Container disposal methods; (18) Other labels required by central authorities.  The aforementioned items must be indicated on a label which is securely affixed to the agrochemical container or package. Containers or packages with limited labelling space must indicate at least items (1) to (7) on the container, and provide the full list of items in the attached agrochemical instruction manual.  organisms (see first column).  
(2) Item 11 in Part 1 of the current version has been modified. (3) Item 13 in Part 1 has been modified to be expressed in SI units.  
Article 6: Labels on prototype agrochemicals must include the following items: (1) Agrochemical permit number; (2) Name, address and telephone number of the agrochemical permit holder; (3) Product importers must Article 6: Labels on 
prototype agrochemicals must include the following items: (1) Agrochemical permit number; (2) Name, address and telephone number of the agrochemical permit holder; (3) Product importers must (1) Item 6 in the current 
version has been modified. (2) Item 8 has been modified to be expressed in SI units. (3) In order to facilitate prototype agrochemical processors' understanding on whether or not the active ingredients of the product contain genetically modified provide the name and address 
of the manufacturing plant abroad; (4) Date of production and batch number of the agrochemical; (5) Common name(s) of the agrochemical; (6) Brand name products
 
must have their brand name 
indicated;  
(7) Dosage form, physical properties, active ingredients, other ingredients and their quantities; (8) Net weight or volume of the agrochemical must be indicated and must be 
specified in SI units
; 
(9) Precautions to take during storage and application;  (10) Poisoning prevention and detoxification measures; (11) Container disposal methods; (12) Warning labels and notes;  (13)
 Genetically modified 
agrochemicals must be 
labelled 'GM agrochemicals' ;  
(14) Other labels required by central authorities.       provide the name and address 
of the manufacturing plant abroad; (4) Date of production and batch number of the agrochemical; (5) Common name(s) of the agrochemical; (6) Indication of the brand name, not applicable for products without a brand name;  (7) Dosage form, physical properties, active ingredients, other ingredients and their quantities; (8) Net weight or volume of the agrochemical must be 
indicated and must be 
specified in metric units; (9) Precautions to take during storage and application; (10) Poisoning prevention and detoxification measures; (11) Container disposal methods; (12) Warning labels and notes;  (13) Other labels required by central authorities. micro-organisms, the section 
on prototype agrochemicals is also amended to include Item 13 in the amended version. Thus Item 13 in the current version has become Item 14.