Conclusion

The development of SMEs is critical for the sake of economic growth. As discussed, the business opportunities created by e-commerce, TFA adoption, and many other international instruments have facilitated SMEs’ participation in international trade.

From Taiwan’s recent experience, we witnessed how SMEs’ cross-border operations can seriously challenge a country’s quarantine and SPS efforts. From the case study, we have also learned how the current border control meas­ures were unprepared for the challenges created by these new forms of trading activities. Although highly intensive inspection measures can be provisionally taken to confront the sudden outburst of an epidemic such as ASF, a systematic review and even revision is still required. The search for economic development should not come with the unbearable cost of lowering the level of protection of other equally or even more important interests. Either through international or regional collaboration or even unilateral efforts, the quarantine loopholes must be patched. The design of the entire border inspection and control mechanism may also need to be readjusted.

It is not within the scope of this chapter to indicate how the system can be better remodeled or to provide the best solution to resolve the problem, since bringing such a proposal would require a comprehensive assessment and exam­ination of a country’s customs and border control mechanisms. Nevertheless, this chapter still hopes to bring attention to the risks associated with rapidly developing trade activities and the urgent need to manage such risks. More fundamentally, regulators are expected to be more cautious when streamlining the designated measures to protect legitimate interests in order to foresee and manage the risks.

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