In view of the need for an inter-agency task to carry out the promotion
of the biotechnology and pharmaceutical high-tech industries, in
November 1995 the Executive Yuan approved the key points for
establishing the Biotechnology and Pharmaceutical Industries Program
Office (BPIPO, MOEA). In February 1996 the BPIPO was formerly
established to implement and promote the biotechnology industry's
development policy and act as a bridge for communication, coordination
and integration among agencies. In December 2001, The Executive Yuan's
One-Stop-Service Office for the Biotechnology Industry was established
under the BPIPO, with the office being responsible for the integration
and coordination of local organizations involved in the various
biotech-related approval and application processes, to build up a sound
development environment for the biotech industry.
The Director of the Industrial Development Bureau, MOEA acted as
convener of the Program Office and formed a committee including the
heads of the Executive Yuan's Department of Health; Environmental
Protection Administration; Council for Economic Planning and
Development; National Science Council; Council of Agriculture; Science &
Technology Advisory Group (STAG); Committee for the Development Fund;
Department of Industrial Technology, MOEA; Intellectual Property Office,
MOEA; and related government agencies; and representatives, academics,
and experts from major research organizations and industry to form an
inter-agency promotional organization.
The role of the Program Office is to serve as a window for the
exchange of vital information between domestic and foreign industry, and
to aggressively promote investment in Taiwan. In so doing, the Program
Office hopes to accelerate the upgrading of Taiwan's biotechnology and
pharmaceutical industries and promote Taiwan to become an R&D,
manufacturing and operations center for the Asia Pacific region, and
furthermore to forge ahead to establish a global operations center.
