weighted score 2.1 · nine dimensions
Country Risk Profile
Taiwan
Sourcing risk, regulatory exposure and audit intelligence for Taiwan-origin supply chains.
Forced & child labour
1
Zero TVPRA listings. No UFLPA exposure. No systemic forced labour findings in manufacturing sectors. Distant-water fishing fleet is the only flagged area.
Worker rights & FOA
2
Cannot formally ratify ILO conventions (non-UN member) but domestic law provides equivalent protections. Independent trade unions are legal and active. Collective bargaining rights are protected.
OHS & audit transparency
2
Occupational safety standards are well-established. Third-party audit access is unrestricted. Semiconductor fabs operate to international EHS standards. Audit credibility is high.
Food & product safety
1
TFDA operates a robust regulatory regime. Low RASFF alert rate. Product safety standards broadly comparable to OECD peers.
Environmental & regulatory
2
No EUDR-regulated commodity exposure of significance. No IUU card. Environmental regulation is functional with enforceable standards.
Governance & anti-corruption
2
TI CPI 2024: 67/100. Strong independent judiciary. Regulatory framework is transparent and predictable. Low corruption risk relative to regional peers.
Tariff & preferential access
5
No EU or US FTA due to diplomatic isolation. MFN tariffs apply. However, ITA zero-duty access covers semiconductors and electronic components — effectively neutralising tariff barriers for dominant export categories.
Non-tariff barriers
2
Minimal non-tariff barriers. No sanctions exposure. No CBAM-relevant exports at significant scale. Strong WTO compliance record.
Supply chain traceability
2
Semiconductor supply chains are highly traceable due to fab-level production tracking. Multi-tier transparency is strong in electronics. Traceability infrastructure is well-developed.
Labour & Social Risk
Labour & Social Risk
- Forced labour risk
- Zero goods listed on the US TVPRA (ILAB List of Goods Produced by Child or Forced Labor). No UFLPA exposure. Taiwan is not flagged by any major forced labour monitoring body for systemic forced labour in manufacturing.
- Migrant worker concerns
- Taiwan's distant-water fishing fleet has been flagged for labour abuses involving migrant fishers from Southeast Asia. US State Department TIP Report has noted forced labour conditions on some Taiwanese-flagged vessels. This is sector-specific — not systemic across manufacturing.
- ILO conventions
- Taiwan is not a UN member and cannot formally ratify ILO conventions. However, domestic labour law incorporates equivalent protections for freedom of association, collective bargaining, and occupational safety. Independent trade unions are permitted and active.
Trade Access & Regulatory Exposure
Trade Access & Regulatory Exposure
- EU trade relationship
- No EU-Taiwan FTA exists due to diplomatic constraints. MFN tariffs apply. However, WTO Information Technology Agreement (ITA) provides zero-duty access for semiconductors and most electronic components — covering the majority of Taiwan's exports to the EU.
- Tariff exposure
- Tariff score of 5 reflects the absence of preferential trade agreements. Effective tariff burden is substantially mitigated by ITA zero-duty coverage on semiconductors, which dominate Taiwan's export profile.
- Governance & transparency
- Transparency International CPI 2024: 67/100 — significantly above the regional average. Strong anti-corruption framework with independent judiciary. Regulatory environment is predictable and transparent.
- Food safety
- Taiwan Food and Drug Administration (TFDA) operates a robust food safety regime. RASFF alert rate for Taiwan-origin food products is low. Taiwan's food safety standards are broadly comparable to OECD peers.