Taiwan Today

The Made-in-Taiwan Mark will be used to promote the products of 12 local industries and distinguish them from mainland Chinese competitors, the Ministry of Economic Affairs announced Feb. 1. With more mainland goods due to enter the island following the signing of the cross-strait economic cooperation framework agreement, the MIT Mark will certify products which are locally made with a reduced carbon footprint. Chou Neng-chuan, deputy general-director of the Industrial Development Bureau under the MOEA, said the MIT Mark quality certification system ensures healthy, safe and trustworthy products. In a bid to mitigate the immediate impact after the inking of the ECFA, the MOEA has drafted a 10-year, NT$95 billion (US$2.963 billion) subsidy plan and the MIT Mark certification program to assist industries in need, according to Chou. Products from nine sectors are initially eligible to receive the MIT Mark, including the shoe, bag and suitcase, apparel, underwear, sweater, swimwear, towel, bedding and woven sock industries. Home appliances, tiles and stone construction materials will be included in the next round as well. All companies from the chosen 12 industries will get the MIT Mark certificate free of charge and join a collective marketing plan in the initial stage, although the MOEA does not rule out the possibility of charging a fee a few years down the road. In addition, the MOEA will establish 20 benchmark stores selling MIT products at shopping malls islandwide. The MIT Mark each company acquires will expire after two years, after which the firm will have to reapply. To receive new certification, products will have to comply with origin identification standards and quality inspection guidelines. After the MIT Mark certification plan was made public at the end of 2009, companies in the beauty industry, such as Taiyen Biotech Co. Ltd., inquired into the possibility of joining the collective marketing plan, according to sources familiar with the matter. However, due to budget constraints, the MOEA is first putting its emphasis on the 12 selected industries. (KP-THN)