International Trade Policies: Taiwan

The United States (U.S.) has an equivalence arrangement with Taiwan. This means that organic products certified to the USDA or Taiwan organic standards may be labeled and sold as organic in both countries, as long as the products meet the terms of the arrangement.

Scope. This equivalence arrangement is limited to country-to-country trade. For U.S. exports: It is limited to products certified to the USDA organic regulations that are produced or have had their final processing occur within the U.S. For Taiwan exports: It is limited to products certified to the Taiwan organic regulations that are produced or have had their final processing occur on Taiwan.

Allowed product categories: Crops, Wild Crops, Livestock, Processed Products.

Terms of the Arrangement. Generally, USDA and Taiwan certified organic products are eligible for trade under this equivalence, but there are some stipulations.

The following products may not be exported to the United States as certified organic:

  • Agricultural products derived from animals treated with antibiotics.
  • Aquatic animals (e.g. fish, shellfish).

Documentation – Exports of USDA Organic Products. Organic products must be accompanied by a USDA Export Certificate, Form TM-11, issued by a USDA-accredited certifying agent. All USDA-accredited certifying agents (certifiers) may issue the TM-11 Export Certificate to Taiwan for USDA-certified organic products that are produced within the United States, or products for which final processing or packaging occurs in the United States. To issue the TM-11 Export Certificate, certifiers must verify that products comply with the terms of the trade arrangement under which they are being exported.

The TM-11 export certificate must be signed by a USDA-accredited certifying agent and must include the following statement: “Certified in compliance with the terms of the AIT/TECRO-NOP/AFA Organic Equivalence Arrangement." Certifiers are to use acronyms assigned in the USDA Organic INTEGRITY Database when completing the TM-11 Export Certificate, as described in the TM-11 Instructions.

Documentation – Imports of Taiwan Organic Products. A certifying agent supervised by Taiwan’s Agriculture and Food Agency (AFA) and accredited in compliance with Taiwan organic regulations must complete a U.S. National Organic Program (NOP) Import Certificate, Form 2110-1, for all Taiwan organic products traded under the arrangement. The NOP Import Certificate must be signed by the Taiwan accredited certifying agent and must include the following statement: “Certified in compliance with the terms of the AIT/TECRO-NOP/AFA Organic Equivalence Arrangement."

Labeling. For retail products, labels or stickers must state the name of the U.S. or Taiwan certifying agent and may use the USDA Organic seal. Exported organic products must meet the labeling requirements in the destination country. Use of Taiwan’s organic mark is restricted for use only by Taiwan businesses and may not be applied to USDA organic products.

USDA Organic Regulations & Certification. Organic is a labeling term that indicates that the food or other agricultural product has been produced through approved methods. The organic standards describe the specific requirements that must be verified by a USDA-accredited certifying agent before products can be labeled USDA organic.

Taiwan Organic Regulations & Certification. Legislative acts are the legal basis that govern whether goods can be marketed as organic within the Taiwan, including those that have been imported from outside of Taiwan.

Historical Documents