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3rd Taiwan-France Agricultural Working Group Meeting held by videoconference; Taiwan and France reach consensus on expanding trade in agriproducts and deepening agricultural cooperation

2021-10-21

On October 20 the Council of Agriculture (COA) and the French Ministry of Agriculture and Food convened the “3rd Taiwan-France Agricultural  Working Group Meeting” by videoconference, discussing issues of mutual concern that included policies for carbon reduction in the agricultural sector, trade in agriproducts, and cooperation in agricultural technology and research. The COA states that as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic it has been three years since the last such meeting. The governments of the two countries share a strong consensus on deepening bilateral agricultural cooperation and expanding trade in agriproducts. At the 3rd Taiwan-France Agricultural Working Group Meeting the two parties exchanged views on agricultural policy, market access for agriproducts, agricultural technology cooperation, and strengthening interactions between research institutions, and they achieved substantive results. The two parties also agreed that in the future they will hold exchanges and forums between their agricultural and animal husbandry technology industries, to advance upgrading of agricultural industries in the two countries and create new commercial opportunities.

The COA explains that Taiwan and France signed France-Taiwan Agricultural Cooperation Convention in 2014. At the “3rd Taiwan-France Agricultural Cooperation Meeting” the two sides shared policies such as roadmaps to “Net zero carbon emissions” in the agricultural sector and Europe’s new green policy for “Carbon farming” and  “Farm to fork.” The two sides also agreed to further exchanges on carbon reduction technology and calculation methods. The CVOs (Chief of Veterinary Officer) of the two countries also signed an agreement at the Meeting on the principle of regionalization for highly pathogenic avian influenza, which will be helpful in ensuring food safety for consumers in Taiwan. In addition, the two sides shared information on issues including “eco- antibio strategy,” “combating food waste,” and “the environmental benefits of agricultural photoelectric green energy and promotion of low-carbon certification marks.” Moreover, the two parties agreed that research institutes under the COA and France’s National Research Institute for Agriculture, Food, and the Environment (INRAE) would sign a Memorandum of Understanding on cooperation to enhance the two countries’ agricultural sciences research capabilities. The COA states that based on the consensus reached at the Meeting, the two countries’ agricultural authorities will continue to promote a variety of work plans to expand agriproduct trade and deepen agricultural cooperation between Taiwan and France and strengthen substantive bilateral relations.