July 9, 2004
The Legislative Yuan has passed a revision of the Customs Act, as proposed by the Ministry of Finance, to conform to the spirit of the International Convention on the Simplification and Harmonization of Customs Procedures (Kyoto Convention). The revision has promulgated by the President, and the main points of the revision, which are designed to heighten the extent of Taiwan's trade facilitation, are as follows:
1. A new provision allows export goods to use carnet certification instead of customs declaration documents, on condition that there is a guarantor, and such goods may be shipped into or out of a carnet signatory nation duty-free during the period of validity of the customs clearance. The MOF will work out related implementations for the new measure.
2. The period for the duty-free re-import of goods that have been shipped abroad for repair, assembly, or processing is lengthened to one year, with a six-month extension possible, in order to conform to practical needs.
3. Another new provision allows for the duty-free import of purchased or donated emergency relief goods, of the equipment needed by emergency relief personnel, and of specially trained animals and necessities for their use.
4. The scope of tariff rebates is expanded to allow for the return of duties paid on imported goods that, for special reasons, are not provided to domestic consumers. When goods are reduced because of their nature, the part by which they fall short, after inspection by Customs, are not subject to duties; or, if duties on that part have already been paid, they may be returned.
5. Another addition allows for the quota amounts of tariff quota goods to be increased or reduced flexibly within a range of 50% in response to special domestic or international economic conditions.
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