Taiwan’s new Amendment to Commodity Labeling Act

After 11 years, Taiwan’s Ministry of Economic Affairs is amending the Commodity Labeling Act again.

The purpose of the Amendment is to further promote the proper labeling of goods, to protect the reputation of business owners and the rights and interests of consumers.  Taiwan’s Commodity Labeling Law mandates that all commodities sold in Taiwan must be labeled in Chinese and may be supplemented by English or another foreign language, if necessary.

Furthermore, imports that are sold in Taiwan must be marked with product information that includes the name of the product itself; the name, telephone number, and address of the producer or manufacturer; the place of origin of the product; and the name, telephone number, and address of the importer.

If a product is hazardous, it has for example health and safety implications, requires special handling, or has a limited storage period, it must also be marked with the date of manufacture in Chinese, the expiration date, and other information that might be required by Taiwanese authorities.

With the amendment, the Ministry of Economic Affairs is going to be considered as the competent central authority. This central authority may, by means of a public notice, authorize certain exemptions to exempt certain goods from the labeling requirement under this Act.

The amendment will come into effect on 18 May 2023.

The texts of the Regulation can be consulted HERE.