Taiwan to Expand the Scope of Food Businesses Subject to Traceability System for Food Products

The Ministry of Health and Welfare published the Proposed Amendment to Food Businesses Subject to Requirements for the Establishment of a Traceability System of Food Products (預告「應建立食品追溯追蹤系統之食品業者」修正草案) (the Proposal) on 12 October 2017. The Proposal, once adopted, would add various types of food businesses to the scope of companies subject to mandatory requirements for establishing a traceability system for food products. In addition, the Proposal would specify the implementation dates for different requirements under this system, once adopted. Public consultation on the Proposal is open until 11 December 2017.

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Companies that conduct one of the following activities would be added to the "Food Businesses Subject to Requirements for the Establishment of Traceability System of Food Products" once the Proposal is adopted:

 

• Importers of certain agricultural products, such as plant proteins and processed soy products;

• All other manufacturers, processors, and distributors of food products in Taiwan; and

• Sellers of prepackaged food products.

 

A traceability system for these newly designated types of food businesses would need to be established by 1 January 2018, provided that these businesses fulfill the criteria as prescribed under the Proposal. In addition, information regarding the flow of concerned food products would need to be filed by designated businesses via the online food traceability system run by the Ministry of Health and Welfare by 1 January 2019. Electronic invoices would also need to be used by these designated businesses by 1 January 2020.

 

 

Companies that produce, process, distribute, or import designated food types are subject to requirements imposed under the traceability system for food products. For instance, they must report required information to the Taiwan Ministry of Health and Welfare via the Information Management Platform for Food Traceability. Companies that fail to comply with this requirement will be subject to a fine of between 30,000 and 3,000,000 new Taiwan dollars. Detailed requirements under the food tractability system can be found under the Regulations Governing Traceability of Foods and Relevant Products (食品及其相關產品追溯追蹤系統管理辦法).

 

 

Companies that operate in the food industry might be subject to requirements under the traceability system for food products, if they import certain agricultural products, manufacture, process, distribute food products, or sell prepackaged food products in Taiwan, once the newly issued proposal is adopted. Affected companies may be subject to these requirements as early as 1 January 2018, provided that they meet the criteria as set up under the Proposal. Interested parties may wish to review the Proposal and submit any comments that they might have to the Ministry of Health and Welfare by 11 December 2017, either by phone: +886 02-2787-8200 Ext. 7354, or by fax: +886 02-2653-1062.