Foreign Companies in Taiwan Warned: Appointing a Professional Compliance Representative Is Essential

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2025/11/12

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Taipei — In light of a recent regulatory incident, industry experts are urging foreign companies operating in Taiwan or who wants to export to any local importer in Taiwan to engage professional regulatory consultants as their designated License Holders or Responsible Persons, even when the foreign entity has already set up a local subsidiary to act as the importer.

Earlier this month, a Japanese company operating in Taiwan became the center of an unexpected controversy after the Taiwan Food and Drug Administration (TFDA) mistakenly issued an official notice to nearly every food company in the country. The notice stated:

According to TFDA records, your company imported two batches of agricultural and plant products between October 31, 2023 and October 31, 2025. Regardless of the subsequent use of the product, any imported item inspected under Article 30 of the Act Governing Food Safety and Sanitation must comply with traceability and related regulatory obligations.

Although the TFDA later confirmed that the mass delivery was the result of an internal administrative error, the fact remained: the Japanese company had not completed the required post-import regulatory actions. What should have been a routine compliance follow-up escalated into an incident visible to the entire industry, causing unnecessary brand damage.

This case perfectly illustrates why foreign companies should not rely solely on their newly established Taiwan subsidiaries, said local compliance specialists. Regulatory obligations in Taiwan are process-driven, time-sensitive, and documentation-heavy. A single missed step—no matter how minor—can lead to reputational consequences far greater than any consulting fee.

Industry consultants emphasize that Taiwan’s food regulatory system places strict responsibilities on importers, including:

Ongoing communication with TFDA
Completion of traceability registration
Maintenance of inspection records
Response to post-market verification requests
Timely submissions under the Food Safety and Sanitation Act

Failure to execute these obligations can lead to warnings, administrative penalties, or public visibility of non-compliance events.

Professional License Holders understand the regulatory rhythm, monitor deadlines, and ensure that no official correspondence is overlooked. Foreign headquarters often underestimate how easily an unhandled notice can evolve into a reputational crisis, experts added.

The Japanese company involved has not issued a public statement, but industry observers note that brand credibility—especially for multinational suppliers in the food, nutrition, and consumer goods sectors—can be deeply affected by even the perception of regulatory negligence.

As Taiwan continues tightening its oversight of imported food and agricultural products, specialists predict an increasing need for foreign companies to seek professional compliance partners.

In cross-border operations, trust is currency, one consultant concluded. A skilled regulatory representative protects not only compliance, but the company’s reputation, which is far more valuable.