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Title: Regulations Governing Import of Commodities Ch
Date: 2010.07.08
Legislative: 1.Promulgated on July 14, 1993
2.Amended on March 22, 1995
3.Amended on July 30, 1997
4.Amended on August 9, 2000
5.Amended on December 11, 2002
6.Amended on July 2, 2003
7.Amended on April 6, 2005
8.Amended on July 8, 2010
Content: Article 1
These Regulations are enacted pursuant to Paragraph 2 of Article 15 of the Foreign Trade Act 
(hereinafter referred to as "the Act").

Article 2
The term "licensing" as used herein means issuance of import permits by the Bureau of Foreign Trade, 
Ministry of Economic Affairs (hereafter referred to as BOFT) or any organization authorized by it. The 
term “exemption of licensing" as used herein means exemption of an import permit.

Article 3
The term "a firm" as used herein means any exporter/importer duly registered under "Regulations Governing 
Registration of Exporters and Importers".

Article 4
In respect to intellectual property rights affiliated with commodities, rules governing import of 
trademarks rights, patent rights, copyrights, and any other intellectual property rights protected by the 
laws enacted and the scope of such commodities shall be published by the BOFT after consultation with the 
relevant authorities.

Article 5
deleted

Article 6
In respect to the following commodities of which import is restricted under the Act, the BOFT will 
compile and publish a list of commodities subject to import restriction, listing nomenclatures of and 
import regulations relating to such commodities:
1.Commodities manufactured in specific countries or territories to be designated under Article 5 of the 
Act.
2.Commodities for which necessary measures need to be taken to restrict import thereof in accordance with 
Article 6 of the Act.
3.Commodities of which import is restricted in accordance with the proviso of Article 11 of the Act.
4. Importation of endangered species of wild fauna and flora, and products thereof in accordance with 
Article 13-1 of the Act.
5.Commodities for which an import quota system is enforced in accordance with Article 16 of the Act.
6.Commodities of which import is restricted due to import relief in accordance with Article 18 of the Act.
For import of commodities on the list of commodities subject to import restriction, applications for 
licensing shall be filed in accordance with the regulations prescribed in the said list, unless otherwise 
provided in other laws and regulations or announced as licensing-exemption items by the BOFT. Commodities 
which do not comply with import regulations set forth on the said list can not be imported without 
special approval by the BOFT.

Article 7
Where a firm, government agency, government operated enterprise and a public or private school imports 
commodities not included on the list of commodities subject to import restriction, licensing shall be 
exempted.

Article 8
In respect of commodities for which licensing is exempted but whose import is regulated subject to other 
laws or regulations, BOFT may, to the extent that examination of import commodities can be performed by 
the customs, compile and publish a list of commodities assisted by the customs for import examination, 
listing the nomenclatures of and the import regulations applicable to such commodities.
For import of commodities listed in the above said list of commodities entrusted to the customs for 
import examination, the applicable import regulations listed on the said list shall be followed when an 
import application is filed with the customs.

Article 9
Where a person, other than a firm, a government agency, a government operated enterprise, and a public or 
private school, who is not a professional importer, imports commodities subject to Article 10 of the Act, 
he/she shall apply for import licensing; however, subject to any of the following circumstances, import 
licensing shall be exempted:
1. Baggages and articles of which the quantities and values are within the limits set by customs brought 
in by passengers and crews of vessels and aircraft.
2. Duty free articles for official and/or personal use imported by embassies/consulates of various 
countries in the Separate Customs Territory of Taiwan, Penghu, Kinmen and Matsu, international 
organizations, and diplomatic organizations stationed in this country against the duty-exemption 
application forms issued by Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
3. Commodities which are not included on the list of commodities subject to import restriction but are 
imported by other importers through marine shipment, airfreight, or parcel post, at an FOB price less 
than US$20,000 or its equivalent.
4. Articles for humanitarian relief.
5. Other articles approved by the BOFT.
For import of the above licensing-exemption commodities, if they are included on the list prescribed in 
Article 6 or 8 hereof, regulations set forth on the list shall be complied with when import application 
is filed with the customs, unless there are other special regulations applicable.
Specific commodities for which import licensing is applied for by an importer mentioned in Paragraph 1 of 
this Article, shall be limited to those imported for personal use by the importer, unless special 
approval is obtained from the BOFT.

Article 10
If an importer imports any commodity on the list of commodities subject to import restriction in a small 
quantity for own use or as gift, the customs may release it by assessing a duty thereon with 
consideration of the circumstances and in accordance with the applicable regulations listed in the said 
list; and in such case import licensing may be exempted. However, if special provisions are otherwise 
provided in other laws and regulations in force, such special provisions shall be followed.

Article 11
To satisfy the requirement of trade administration, BOFT may designate items of commodities to be 
imported on which country of origin shall be marked or for which certificates of country of origin shall 
be submitted for examination at the time of filing import applications with the customs.

Article 12
Applications for license to import commodities shall be made in writing or lodged electronically with 
BOFT.
To make an application in written form for license to import commodities, the following documents shall 
be submitted:
1. Application for import permit.
2. Other documents to be submitted in accordance with relevant regulations.
Format of the above said application for import permit shall be defined by BOFT.

Article 13
An import permit shall be valid for six(6) months from the day of licensing. For import of specific 
commodities or import of commodities from specific areas, import permits of shorter validity may be 
issued. For special import cases which have been approved by the Ministry of Economic Affairs or BOFT, 
import permits of longer validity may be issued.
If the applicant foresees that the commodities for import cannot be shipped within the prescribed 
validity period of an import permit, the applicant may apply for an import permit of longer validity by 
explaining reasons and submitting evidential documents.

Article 14
Imported commodities shall be shipped from the port of embarkation before the expiry of the validity of 
an import permit. The date of B/L shall be considered the shipment date; if there is any doubt about the 
B/L date, customs may investigate and determine the shipment date.
No expired import permits without an approved extension shall be used to import commodities.

Article 15
In case shipment of imported commodities cannot be made from the port of embarkation within the validity 
period of an import permit, the applicant may apply for an extension within one(1) month before the 
expiry of the validity. Each extension shall not exceed a period of six(6) months, and no more than 
two(2) extensions may be made. For BOFT designated commodities of which shipment must be made within the 
validity of the import permit, extension is not allowed.

Article 16
In respect to amending the contents of an import permit, the applicant may submit, before expiry of the 
validity of the import permit, an application for amendment together with the original import permit and 
relevant evidential documents for amendment. Except for change of registration already approved, no change 
of applicant name for an import permit may be made.
If part of the commodities covered by an import permit has been declared with the customs, no application 
for amendment of the contents on the import permit is allowed, except for application for extension of 
the validity period of the import permit in accordance with the regulations of the preceding Article.

Article 17
For extension or amendment to an import permit, relevant import regulations in force at the time of 
application for extension or amendment shall apply

Article 18
deleted

Article 19
For commodities of which import is subject to legal inspection or quarantine, relevant inspection and/or 
quarantine regulations shall apply.

Article 20
To meet the requirement of administration of import trading, BOFT may publish hereunder other relevant 
import regulations.

Article 21
These Regulations shall be come into force from the date of promulgation.