The Council of Agriculture inaugurated a special team Tuesday to tighten inspection of imported animal products from mad cow disease-affected countries in line with an expected increase in trade with WTO membership.
Council officials said imports of animal products are expected to increase substantially in the wake of Taiwan's WTO accession on New Year's Day. Against this backdrop, the possibility of contagious animal diseases finding there way into Taiwan is also likely to rise, the officials said.
To cope with this new challenge, the council has set up a supra-ministerial team to intensify inspections of animal products from countries affected by bovine spongiform encephalopathy, more commonly referred to as mad cow disease.
According to officials, the council has listed 20 countries, including the UK, Japan, Germany, France, Ireland, Italy, Spain, Denmark, Greece, Switzerland, the Netherlands, Portugal and the Czech Republic, as mad cow disease-affected countries.
Animal products from those countries will be subject to intensive inspection, the council said.
The council's animal and plant inspection and quarantine bureau said that it will tighten inspection and quarantine work at all airports and harbors to prevent the import of contaminated animal products.
Meanwhile, the council said it will also step up efforts to prevent outbreaks of other contagious animal diseases, including foot-and-mouth disease, Newcastle disease and highly pathogenic avian influenza.
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