Canada bone-in beef gets green light from Ministry of Economic Affairs

(Taiwan Business News) The Ministry of Economic Affairs announced yesterday that it will permit the import of Canadian bone-in beef and its products from cattle under 30 months of age. Taiwan and Canada will also soon sign an agreement to avoid double taxation and begin negotiations on a bilateral investment agreement.

The Ministry of Economic Affairs held a press conference yesterday, at which Vice Minister of Economic Affairs Liang Kuo-hsin, together with representatives from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Health and Welfare, and the Council of Agriculture, explained Taiwan-Canada economic and trade issues to the public.

The Ministry of Economic Affairs stated that Taiwan has permitted the import of Canadian boneless beef from cattle under 30 months of age since the 96th year of the Republic of China (2007). The Canadian bone-in beef and beef products from cattle under 30 months of age now being opened for import are subject to the same categories as those from the United States, meaning that products such as skull, eyes, brain, spinal cord, ground meat and offal are prohibited from import, in compliance with Taiwan's current Act Governing Food Safety and Sanitation.

The Ministry of Economic Affairs emphasized that the government will continue to strictly enforce the "three controls and five checks." In addition to controlling the source, controlling the border and controlling the market, it will also ensure public health and food safety through measures such as verifying certificates, ensuring accurate labeling, opening boxes for inspection, sampling and testing, and verifying information.

The Ministry of Economic Affairs believes that once the issue of Canadian bone-in beef imports is resolved and the agreement to avoid double taxation is signed with Canada, Canada will begin negotiations with Taiwan on a bilateral investment agreement.

As Canada is a member country of the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP), the Ministry of Economic Affairs believes that consolidating Taiwan-Canada bilateral economic and trade relations and utilizing the framework of investment agreement negotiations can create favorable conditions for Taiwan to join the TPP.