Taiwan has decided in principle to lift a ban since 2001 on beef imported from Japan, action taken following the discovery there of cattle with mad cow disease, the Food and Drug Administration said in a statement posted Monday on its website.

The statement also indicated Taiwan will also lift bans imposed for the same reason on beef imports from Sweden and the Netherlands.

An FDA official told Kyodo News on condition of anonymity that if all goes smoothly, Taiwan will resume imports of Japanese beef no later than Oct. 15.