The Cabinet yesterday approved an amendment to the Animal Protection Act (動物保護法) to regulate pet food products and product suppliers.
The amendment, subject to approval by the legislature, requires pet food manufacturers, processors and importers to register their products with the Council of Agriculture.
The council will set standards for permissible levels of potentially harmful micro-organisms, such as salmonella and pathogenic Escherichia coli, and other materials like aflatoxin, pesticides and metals in pet foods and ban those that exceed these levels.
Local governments will be authorized to conduct spot checks and random inspections of pet food products and to demand that pet food sellers provide proof of product safety.
Businesses manufacturing, producing or importing unqualified pet food will be fined between NT$50,000 (US$1,500) and NT$250,000, while the council will have their names and photos published, the proposed amendment states.
The Cabinet yesterday also approved an amendment to the Customs Act (關稅法), under which people who are in arrears on tariff payments, overdue fines for unpaid tariffs or other taxes levied by Customs authorities will be banned from leaving the country under certain conditions.
If the amendment passes the legislature, an individual whose unpaid taxes exceed NT$1 million or an individual in charge of an institution or a business which owes more than NT$2 million in unpaid taxes will also be prohibited from leaving the country for five years, starting from the date that the immigration office records the ban, the draft bill says.
The Cabinet also approved an amendment to the Insurance Act for Military Personnel (軍人保險條例), under which service people on parental leave will receive part of their salary up to a maximum of six months.
Military personnel will also be allowed to take parental leave for children under three years old, the amendment states.
ADDITIONAL REPORTING BY CNA
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