TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — During the annual Taiwan-European Union (EU) Trade and Investment Dialogue (TID) held on Thursday (June 2), the two parties discussed a range of topics including the semiconductor sector, supply chains, security, and net-zero transitioning.

While TID is usually held at the deputy-minister level, this year the event saw Minister of Economic Affairs Wang Mei-hua (王美花) and European Commission Director-General of Trade Sabine Weyand as co-chairs, the Ministry of Economic Affairs (MOEA) reported. This was in line with the EU’s plans to deepen economic ties with Taiwan, as detailed in the EU Strategy for Cooperation in the Indo-Pacific released in September 2021.

During TID, Taiwan discussed investment relationships, cooperation, net-zero by 2050 transitioning with the EU, and issues relating to the offshore wind sector, while the EU emphasized semiconductors, supply chains, and security. Taiwan and the EU also discussed sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS) issues, including the export of Taiwan’s pastries and processed meats and market access improvements for EU agricultural products.

According to the MOEA, Wang said Taiwan had aided the EU by supplying chips during a shortage last year due to the pandemic, and sent a delegation with semiconductor experts to Lithuania, Slovakia, and the Czech Republic to assess the potential for talent exchange and cultivation programs. In a press release, the EU wrote that it plans to work together with Taiwan on monitoring supply chains to increase preparedness, anticipate supply disruptions, and mitigate their negative effects.