. /.   WORLD TRADE  
ORGANIZATION  G/TBT/N/TPKM/47 
24 April 2007 
 (07-1704) 
Committee on Technical Barriers to Trade Original:   English 
  
 
NOTIFICATION 
 
The following notification is being circ ulated in accordance with Article 10.6. 
 
1. Member to Agreement notifying:   THE SEPARATE CUSTOMS TERRITORY OF 
TAIWAN, PENGHU, KINMEN AND MATSU  
If applicable, name of local government involved (Articles 3.2 and 7.2):         
2. Agency responsible:    
Department of Health 
100 Ai-Kuo East Road 
Taipei 100, Taiwan 
Telephone: +(886) 2 2321 0151  
Fax:   +(886) 2 2392 9723 E-mail:  fswang@doh.gov.tw 
Name and address (including telephone and fax numbers, e-mail and web-site 
addresses, if available) of  agency or authority designated to handle comments 
regarding the notification shall be  indicated if different from above:         
3. Notified under Article 2.9.2 [  X ], 2.10.1 [   ], 5.6.2 [   ], 5.7.1 [   ], other:         
4. Products covered (HS or CCCN where applicable, otherwise national tariff heading. 
ICS numbers may be provided in  addition, where applicable):   Pre-packaged caffeine-
containing beverages. 
5. Title, number of pages and langu age(s) of the notified document:   Proposed requirement 
for labelling content of caffeine on pre-packag ed beverages under the Act Governing Food 
Sanitation. 
6. Description of content:   Article 17 of the Act Governing Food Sanitation sets out the 
information to be labelled on food products.  In  response to requests made by consumers for 
information on the content of caffeine of bevera ges, the Department of Health intends to 
require that pre-packaged caffeine-containing beverages be labelled content of caffeine on 
the container or packaging in a conspicuous ma nner and the font shall not be smaller than 
2mm in width and length. The followings are detailed requirements: 
(1) Where pre-packed liquid form beverages, contain caffeine, from whatever source, in a 
proportion equal to or in excess of 20 mg/100mL, labelling of the caffeine content shall be expressed in mg/100mL; 
(2) Where pre-packed liquid form beverages, contain caffeine, from whatever source, in a 
proportion less than 20 mg/100mL, the following message should be labelled: "less than 
20 mg/100mL caffeine"; G/TBT/N/TPKM/47 
Page 2  
 
  (3) Where pre-packed liquid form coffee, tea a nd cocoa beverages, contain caffeine, in a 
proportion equal to or less than 2 mg/100mL,  labelling of the caffeine content may be 
expressed as “low caffeine" instead of “less than 20 mg/100mL caffeine"; and 
(4) Where powder form instant coffee products (including plain, 2 in 1 and 3 in 1 coffee 
products), sold as one serving size, labelling of the caffeine content shall be expressed 
in mg/serving. This compulsory regulation shall not apply to any other kinds of 
beverage with powder or dried form. 
7. Objective and rationale, including the na ture of urgent problems where applicable:  
Provide caffeine information to consumers 
8. Relevant documents:   Act Governing Food Sanitation 
9. Proposed date of adoption:   
Proposed date of entry into force:   }1 January 2008 
10. Final date for comments:   60 days from date of notification 
11. Texts available from:  National enquiry point [  X ] or address, telephone and fax 
numbers, e-mail and web-site addresses, if available of the other body:   
WTO/TBT Enquiry Point 
The Bureau of Standards, Metrology and Inspection Ministry of Economic Affairs 4, Chinan Road, Section 1, Taipei, 100, Taiwan 
Telephone: (+886 2) 3343 5115 
Fax:  (+886 2) 2343 1804 E-mail:  tbtenq@bsmi.gov.tw 
The English translations of the regulatory texts are available at: 
 
For Act Governing Food Sanitation 
http://www.doh.gov.tw/EN/Webpage/content. aspx?Lmenu=Lmenu5&Rmenu=&class_no=2
48&now_fod_list_no=248&a rray_fod_list_no=&level_no= 1&doc_no=40116&show=show