Chinese Taipei Member profile
Status of notification in the reporting periods
2010-2012
2012-2014
2014-2016
2016-2018
2018-2020
2020-2022
2022-2024
2024-2026
Notification information
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Chinese Taipei
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13/09/2022
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2022-2024
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Chinese Taipei
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30/09/2020
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2020-2022
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Chinese Taipei
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03/10/2018
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2018-2020
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Chinese Taipei
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21/07/2016
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2016-2018
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Chinese Taipei
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17/11/2014
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2014-2016
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Chinese Taipei
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29/09/2014
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2014-2016
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Types of restrictions
All biennial periods and all notifications
Top 10 HS chapters notified
All biennial periods and all notifications
Top 10 WTO justifications notified
All biennial periods and all notifications
Top 10 Non-WTO commitments notified
All biennial periods and all notifications
QR details
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Trade policy review
Latest Trade Policy Review (Report by the WTO Secretariat): WT/TPR/S/377/Rev.1
A. Import prohibitions and restrictions and import licensing
3.38.
During the review period, the regulatory framework governing import prohibitions, restrictions, and licensing has remained largely unchanged.[158] According to the authorities, these measures are in place to, inter alia, protect public morals, human life or health as well as to fulfil its WTO accession commitment and obligations under international agreements in accordance with GATT Articles XX and XXI.[159] A negative-list approach is applied to import prohibitions/restrictions, i.e. no import licences are required except for those on the List of Commodities Subject to Import Restriction.[160] The BOFT, under the MOEA, remains in charge of import management measures, such as the issue of import licences and issuance of the approval of exemption from import prohibitions. Incoming and outgoing trade with the Democratic People's Republic of Korea has been banned since 25 September 2017.
3.39.
Since its previous TPR, Chinese Taipei has expanded the scope of its import bans which increased from 70 ten-digit HS items (2013) to 91 (March 2018), involving 39 agricultural (HS 1‑24) and 52 industrial (HS 25-97) items, mainly whale sharks, puffer fish, narcotics, toxic chemicals, hazardous wastes, HCFC (hydrochlorofluorocarbon) compounds, fire extinguishers containing HCFC and waste lead‑acid accumulators that are subject to trade restrictions under international agreements.[161] Additional prohibitions apply to direct cross-strait imports of some 2,333 tariff lines (March 2018), an overall increase of 147 lines since 2014 (2,186); they include the 70 prohibited products on an MFN basis.[162] As of March 2018, 9,658 items (80.54%) from China of a total of 11,991 ten-digit HS items could freely enter Chinese Taipei and 9,534 items (79.51%) were exempt from import licences (Section 3.1.5.2).
3.40.
During the review period, Chinese Taipei's import licensing requirements and procedures remained largely unchanged. As of April 2018, import permits were required for 131 (126 in 2014) items most of which were related to requirements of international agreements (e.g. CITES) and TRQs (Section 3.1.3.5), essential security as well as protection of culture, human health and the environment (Table 3.3); 98.9% of all incoming commodities (11,507 items) were exempt from import permit requirements.[163] The authorities indicated that the coverage of non-automatic import licensing increased mainly due to the fact that the Council of Agriculture added alien invasive species as non-importable goods to protect the environment. Import licences (e.g. import permits or import clearance certificates) for any import of an f.o.b. value of US$20,000 or above are issued by the BOFT. Prior to applying for a licence, importers must obtain approval from the relevant sector‑specific authority (Table 3.3). An import licence is valid for six months from its issuance, and may be extended for a maximum of 18 months. No licensing fees, other administrative charges or deposit are required. Import licences are not transferable.
3.41.
The import licensing/certification system regarding "optical disk manufacturing equipment" remains automatic; it involves an import clearance certificate issued by the BOFT for safeguarding intellectual property rights.[164] Although imports of radio‑communication apparatus do not require licensing, importers of certain types of these apparatus must obtain approval prior to importation.[165]
3.42.
Products originating in China generally continue to require permission from the MOEA prior to their sale to Chinese Taipei. The list of permitted goods originating in China is reviewed and revised every six months. Among the 9,658 (9,150 in 2014) China-origin products that are permitted entry into Chinese Taipei, 124 (126 in 2014) products at HS 10-digit level required import licences in March 2018 (Section 3.1.5.1). According to the authorities at the time of the previous review, the situation would improve upon the entry into force of the ECFA (Table A2.2).
3.43.
During the review period, Chinese Taipei continued to submit regular Replies to the Questionnaire on Import Licensing Procedures to the WTO Committee on Import Licensing.[166] Chinese Taipei's notification under the 2012 Decision on Notification Procedures for Quantitative Restrictions is pending.[167]
B. Export prohibitions and restrictions
3.53.
During the review period, the legislation in this area remained unchanged and similar to the framework and scope of those applied to imports. Similar to incoming merchandise flows, outgoing trade with the Democratic People's Republic of Korea has been banned (Section 3.1.5).
3.54.
As at July 2017, exports of 42 (35 in 2014) products at HS 10-digit level (of which 20 agricultural items (HS 1-24)) were prohibited (Table A3.4), mostly in line with international conventions requirements or to protect human health, culture, and the environment (e.g. toxic chemicals, warfare, and whale shark, poisonous herbs, and antiques over 100 years old); in addition, sand pebbles and gravels are banned from export on the ground of environmental protection. No temporary or seasonal export bans were in place during the period under review.
3.55.
As at April 2018, export licensing/permit requirements affected 23 (37 in 2014) products at the HS 10‑digit level (of which 3 agricultural items (HS 1-24) from 1 November to 31 March each year) (Table A3.5). Besides controlled chemicals (e.g. CFC), diamonds and equipment for semi‑conductors are also subject to export licensing. According to the authorities, as at March 2018, 99.26% (11,926 items) of all outgoing commodities (11,991 ten-digit HS items) were exempt from export permit requirements altogether.[177]
3.56.
As at April 2018, some 1,022 products (of which 164 agricultural items (HS 1-24)) listed as "Assisted by the Customs for Export Examination" required approvals from relevant competent authorities before exportation. These products include certain foods, agricultural products, drugs and medical devices, chips and IP products including optical discs.
3.57.
In addition, export of endangered species of wild fauna and flora protected under CITES Appendix I or species included in the Wildlife Conservation Act must apply to the BOFT for export licences; the application must be accompanied by prior approvals from the Council of Agriculture. The MOEA simplified the process for re-exporting CITES products and improved its online application process in 2012.[178]
3.58.
Exports of strategic high-tech commodities (SHTCs) require licences issued by the BOFT. An exporter that has implemented the Internal Compliance Programme may apply for an export licence that is valid for multiple export markets, buyers, consignees and end-users, and valid for three years for non-restricted areas or six months for restricted areas.[179] SHTCs are entirely restricted on exports to Cuba, China, Iran, Iraq, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (see above), Syria, and Sudan. The list of restricted commodities adopts the European Union's Community Regime for the Control of Exports of Dual Use Items & Technology, Common Military List, and Sensitive Commodities List.[180] It also uses "catch-all" controls on end-users and end-uses which indicate a risk that an item may be used for Weapon of Mass Destruction (WMD) purposes.
3.59.
Chinese Taipei does not maintain any quantitative restrictions on exports.
WTO's environmental database (EDB)
The EDB contains environment-related measures that may qualify as QRs and therefore should be notified under the QR Decision.