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Article 10
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After a foreign issuer has obtained an effective registration for the domestic offering and issuance of securities, it shall act in accordance with the following provisions: 1. Except in cases of issuance of new shares or sponsored issuance of TDRs in connection with a merger, acquisition of shares of another company, or acquisition or demerger, issuance of straight corporate bonds, issuance of employee stock warrants, issuance of new restricted employee shares, or sponsored issuance of TDRs for purposes of conversion of convertible corporate bonds or corporate bonds with warrants or performance of warrant obligations, the foreign issuer must retain a financial institution to collect proceeds on its behalf and deposit those proceeds in the segregated account that it has opened. Before beginning to collect proceeds, it shall enter into a payment collection agreement and a payment deposit agreement with the bank that collects proceeds on its behalf and deposits them in the segregated account. Within 2 days from the date on which it enters into those agreements, it shall input the relevant information such as the name of that contracted bank and the date on which the contract was signed into the FSC-designated information reporting website. The collection and deposit in the segregated account of proceeds by that bank may not be handled by the same business unit of that bank. The foreign issuer may draw on those proceeds only after they are collected in full, and must input the data regarding the collection of proceeds in full into the FSC-designated information reporting website within 2 days after the date on which those proceeds are collected in full. 2. The foreign issuer shall, within 10 days after the end of each quarter, post the funds utilization plan and the quarterly report on the status of funds utilization to the information reporting website specified by the FSC. However, this provision does not apply to a secondary exchange (or OTC) listed company that sponsors an issue of TDRs using shares that have been issued and are held by the shareholders. 3. In the case of a primary exchange (or OTC) listed company that conducts a cash capital increase or corporate bond issue, or a secondary exchange (or OTC) listed company that conducts a cash capital increase or sponsors an issue of TDRs, it shall on a quarterly basis contact the original lead underwriter or the attesting CPA to issue an evaluation opinion on the reasonableness of the progress made in utilization of the funds and the handling of unused funds and on whether any change to the plan is involved, and shall input this information together with the information referred to in the preceding subparagraph to the information reporting website specified by the FSC. 4. If there is any change in the items of the fund utilization plan or any adjustment to amounts of individual items, such that the aggregate amount of any decreases in, or the aggregate amount of any increases in, the amount of funds originally required for the individual items reaches 20 percent or more of the total amount of funds to be raised, the issuer shall make the amendment to the plan and, within 2 days from the day the amendment is passed by a resolution of the board of directors shall input amendment-related information to the information disclosure website specified by the FSC and, after reporting to the Central Bank and obtaining its approval, shall submit the amendment to a shareholders' meeting for ratification. The issuer also shall, at the time of the change and subsequently within 10 days after the end of each quarter, contact the original lead underwriter to issue an evaluation opinion on the reasonableness of the progress made in utilization of the funds and of the purposes for unused funds and shall input this information together with the information referred to in paragraph 2, subparagraph 2 to the information disclosure website specified by the FSC. However, this provision does not apply to a secondary exchange (or OTC) listed company that sponsors an issue of TDRs using shares that have been issued shares and are held by the shareholders. 5. In the case of a primary exchange (or OTC) company that issues new shares in connection with a merger, acquisition of shares of another company, or acquisition or demerger, it shall, within 10 days after the end of each quarter during the first year after completion and registration of the case, contact the original lead underwriter to issue an evaluation opinion on any effect of that matter on the finances, business, or shareholders' equity of the foreign issuer, and shall enter the opinion to the information disclosure website specified by the FSC. 6. In the case of a primary exchange (or OTC) company or emerging stock company that conducts a cash capital increase or issue of corporate bonds, before the utilization plan of the cash capital increase or corporate bond issue is accomplished, the company shall disclose the progress of the plan in its annual report. In the case of a corporate bond issue, within 2 days after the raising of capital has been completed and by the 10th day of each month during the issuance period of the corporate bonds, information relating to the issuance of the corporate bonds shall be input into the information disclosure website specified by the FSC. 7. When there occurs any material event requiring immediate announcement under the government laws and regulations of the country of registration or the country of listing and the rules of the listing securities exchange, the information shall simultaneously be input to the information disclosure website specified by the FSC. This also applies for any event voluntarily announced by the foreign issuer. 8. For straight corporate bonds denominated in New Taiwan Dollars, the funds raised shall be retained in New Taiwan Dollars, and used in substantive investment in Taiwan, or for other purposes limited solely to the scope approved by the Central Bank. For straight corporate bonds denominated in foreign currency, the funds raised shall be retained as foreign currency, and may not be converted into New Taiwan Dollars for use. The funds raised in accordance with the provisions of subparagraph 1 of the preceding paragraph shall be remitted by the lead securities underwriter in accordance with the applicable provisions of the Statute for Regulation of Foreign Exchange. A primary exchange (or OTC) listed company or emerging stock company offering and issuing overseas securities, after obtaining effective registration, shall be required mutatis mutandis to do the matters set out in paragraph 1, subparagraphs 2 to 7, and additionally, within 10 days after issuance, upload the prospectus prepared in accordance with the securities laws and regulations of the country where the offering took place to the information disclosure website specified by the FSC. However, this uploading need not be done in the case of issuance of overseas depositary receipts that are for purposes of overseas corporate bond conversion or exercise. When a primary exchange (or OTC) listed company or emerging stock company offers and issues overseas securities, if any specific persons or strategic investors subscribe to the securities, the company shall disclose the subscription list as well as individual subscription prices and quantities in the prospectus and shall input them to the information disclosure website specified by the FSC. If it receives a written inquiry from the competent authority for securities of the country in which the securities are listed, it shall report to the FSC within 2 days from the date on which it receives the inquiry and at the same time that it provides the information requested by the inquiry. A foreign issuer that domestically issues stock, certificates of payment for shares, bonds, or TDRs issued by a depositary institution shall deliver them by book-entry transfer, and shall not print physical certificates of the securities. However, a foreign issuer that is required to issue the securities in certificated form under the laws or regulations of its country of registration shall have the foreign custodian institution enter into a depository agreement with the central securities depository and confirm the issuance volume before it may issue the securities domestically. If securities are delivered by book-entry transfer, the issuance, transfer, or cancellation shall be handled in accordance with the relevant rules of the central securities depository. Within 30 days from the date it receives permission for the issuance of new shares from the competent securities registration authority of the country of its registration, a foreign issuer shall deliver the securities to subscribers, and prior to delivery it shall make a public announcement through the information disclosure website specified by the FSC.
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Article 12
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Before it may offer and issue stock, a primary exchange (or OTC) listed company or emerging stock company is required to have filed a Registration Statement for the Domestic Offering and Issuance of Stock by a foreign issuer (Attachments 1 to 5) specifying the required particulars, together with the required documentation, with the FSC and obtained effective registration therewith.
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Article 17
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A primary exchange (or OTC) listed company or emerging stock company that offers and issues stock shall prepare a prospectus with the content in the Chinese language or a Chinese-English bilingual format, provided that if the English-Chinese bilingual format is used and there is any discrepancy in the interpretation of the meaning of the text, the Chinese version shall prevail. The content of the prospectus referred to in the preceding paragraph shall meet the requirements listed below, and additionally shall comply, mutatis mutandis, with the Regulations Governing Information to be Published in Public Offering and Issuance Prospectuses: 1. The content below shall be printed prominently on the front cover of the prospectus: A. Country of registration of the issuer. B. The issuer is a company that is a foreign enterprise listed in Taiwan using New Taiwan Dollars. C. If the issuer's shares do not have a par value of NT$10 per share, the par value per share, or that the shares are no-par-value shares, shall be noted. D. An investor shall carefully read the contents of this prospectus, and shall note the risks associated with the issuer. In addition, the internal page numbers to consult for the related content that text shall be noted. (An emerging stock company shall also add a note requesting that investors carefully read the risk disclosure statement.) 2. The following matters shall be printed on the inside front cover of the prospectus: A. Name of the domestic lawyer who prepared the legal opinion, and the name, address, web address, and telephone number of the law firm. If opinions of any other lawyers are used (e.g. lawyers of the country of registration and the country of the principal place of business), the above information for those lawyers shall also be disclosed together. B. Name, job title, contact telephone number, and e-mail address of the litigious and non-litigious agent within the ROC. 3. The following matters shall be printed in the content of the prospectus: A. Company overview, including a company introduction, the structure of the group, and the nationalities or places of registration of the directors, supervisors, managerial officers, and greater than 10 percent shareholders. B. An explanation of any material differences from the rules of the ROC in relation to the protection of shareholder equity. C. The financial reports printed in the prospectus shall be the consolidated financial reports audited and attested by a CPA, and the CPA audit report, for the most recent 2 fiscal years as of the time of the filing for the offering and issuance of stock, and the financial reports that have duly been publicly announced and reported for the most recent quarter shall additionally be included. If, before the printing of the prospectus, there is any most recent financial report audited and attested or reviewed by a CPA, it shall also be disclosed therewith. A primary exchange (or OTC) listed company or emerging stock company offering and issuing stock shall deliver the prospectus to subscribers in advance.
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Article 18
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A primary exchange (or OTC) listed company or emerging stock company that offers and issues stock -- except in the case of a company issuing stock in connection with acquiring shares of another company, merger, acquisition, or demerger, or an emerging stock company offering and issuing stock without conducting a public issue to outside parties -- shall engage an underwriter to conduct a public underwriting.
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Article 21
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A primary exchange (or OTC) listed company or emerging stock company shall transmit an electronic file of its annual report to the information reporting website specified by the FSC. The content of the annual report shall be in the Chinese language or a Chinese-English bilingual format. However, if an English-Chinese bilingual format is used and there is any discrepancy in the interpretation of the meaning of the respective texts, the Chinese version shall prevail. The annual report filing of the preceding paragraph and the required content thereof shall comply, mutatis mutandis, with the Regulations Governing Information to be Published in Annual Reports of Public Companies, and additionally shall contain the information listed below: 1. Inside front cover of the annual report: A. Board of directors name list (for independent directors domiciled in Taiwan, nationality and principal job experience shall also be specified). B. Name, title, contact phone number, and e-mail address of the designated agent for litigious and non-litigious matters within the ROC. 2. Content of the annual report: A. Company overview, including company and group introductions, group structure, and risk matters. B. The matters of special note shall include an explanation of any material differences from the rules of the ROC in relation to the protection of shareholder equity.
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Article 22
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A secondary exchange (or OTC) listed company offering and issuing stock shall file a Registration Statement for the Domestic Offering and Issuance of Stock by a foreign issuer (Attachments 6 to 9) based on the nature of its case specifying the required particulars, and annexing the required supporting documents, and may proceed to the issuance only after obtaining effective registration from the FSC. The stock for which a secondary listed company applies for exchange listing or OTC trading are limited to stocks in the same class that have been listed on other stock exchanges or traded on other OTC markets.
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Article 28
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A foreign issuer that is a secondary exchange (or OTC) listed company may sponsor issuance of TDRs by a depositary institution only after it submits, based on the nature of its case, the Registration Form for Sponsoring Issuance of Taiwan Depositary Receipts (Attachments 10 to 13) recording the required matters together with the required documentation to the FSC to file for effective registration. Shareholders of a secondary exchange (or OTC) listed company that engage a depositary institution to domestically issue TDRs, using shares that have already been issued and are held by the shareholders, may do so only after submitting the Registration Form for Non-sponsoring Issuance of Taiwan Depositary Receipts (Attachment 14) recording the required matters together with the required documentation to the FSC to file for effective registration. When the holders of already-issued TDRs of a secondary exchange (or OTC) listed company gratuitously obtain shares of another company due to a demerger or a distribution of dividends, that other company may, after the TWSE or TPEx has filed with the FSC the contract for exchange listing or OTC listing of its TDRs, file to sponsor issuance of TDRs with the aforesaid shares of the other company. In a case referred to in the preceding paragraph, it is required prior to the effective registration date to obtain proof that an approved overseas securities exchange has approved the listing and trading of the other company's shares, and additionally to duly submit a filing with all of the relevant documents attached. The filing will become effective 7 business days from the date it is accepted for processing by the FSC and the institution designated by the FSC, and such cases are exempt from the requirement of conducting public underwriting. The provisions of Article 5, paragraphs 2 to 6, Article 7, and Article 8 shall apply mutatis mutandis to filing cases referred to in paragraph 3.
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Article 35
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When a foreign issuer sponsors issuance of TDRs by a depositary institution -- except in the case of sponsoring issuance of TDRs in connection with acquiring shares of a domestic [Taiwan] company, merging with or acquiring a domestic [Taiwan] company, or acquiring a unit demerged from a domestic company -- the foreign issuer shall engage securities underwriter(s) to handle public underwriting.
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Article 39
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A secondary exchange (or OTC) listed company that simultaneously meets all of the conditions listed in the subparagraphs below may submit the Shelf Registration Statement for a Foreign Issuer Sponsoring Issuance of Taiwan Depositary Receipts (Attachment 15), provide all information required therein, along with all required documents to the FSC for effective registration. In addition, it shall complete the issuance within the scheduled issuance period. 1. Its TDRs have been listed on the domestic stock exchange market or traded on the OTC stock market for a combined period of 1 year or more. 2. It has periodically or non-periodically publicly disclosed its financial and business information to the public in accordance with laws and regulations in each of the past 3 years. 3. Has not within the past 3 years made any serious violation of rules of the TWSE or TPEx regarding information disclosure. 4. Has not within the past 3 years had any offering and issuance of securities rejected, voided, or revoked by the FSC or the competent authority of the country of listing. However, this restriction need not apply in cases where, since the date of delivery of the notice of effective registration, the issue has not been fully subscribed and payment therefore has not been fully collected in cash and the case has been voided or revoked by the FSC or the competent authority of the country of overseas listing. 5. Any cash capital increase or corporate bond issuance plans effectively registered with FSC or the competent authority of the country of listing in the past 3 years have all been implemented as planned and on schedule, and no material changes have occurred. 6. The domestic and overseas CPAs engaged by the issuer have not within the past 3 years received a warning or more severe sanction under the law for their handling of securities offering and issuance. 7. The lead underwriter engaged by the issuer has not within the past 3 years been subject to any order under law or regulation to a sanction to dismiss any of its directors, supervisors, or managerial officers or a more severe sanction in connection with handling of securities offering and issuance. The scheduled issuance period referred to in the preceding paragraph may not exceed 1 year counting from the date of effective registration. The secondary exchange (or OTC) listed company shall set the period at the time of filing with the FSC. When a secondary exchange (or OTC) listed company issues TDRs during the scheduled issuance period, it shall engage an underwriter to underwrite the issuance in full on a firm commitment basis.
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Article 43
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A foreign issuer intending to issue and offer bonds domestically shall file a Registration Statement for Offering and Issuance of Bonds by foreign issuers corresponding to the nature of the issue (Attachments 17 to 19), specifying the required particulars, and annexing the required supporting documents, and may proceed to the issuance only after effective registration has been obtained from the FSC. Where a foreign issuer, having already sponsored issuance of TDRs on the TWSE or on an OTC market, registers the offering and issuance of convertible corporate bonds or corporate bonds with warrants, may sponsor issuance of TDRs to enable execution of conversions or the performance of stock option obligations, in which case such TDRs shall carry the same rights and obligations as TDRs traded on the TWSE or on an OTC market.
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Article 45
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A foreign issuer that files to register the offering and issuance of straight corporate bonds and that meets the conditions of each of the following subparagraphs may submit the Shelf Registration Statement for Issuance of Straight Corporate Bonds by a foreign issuer (Attachment 20), complete with all required information and all required documents, to the FSC for effective registration and complete the issuance within the expected issuance period. 1. The issuer is a primary exchange (or OTC) listed company or emerging stock company that has been domestically listed or whose securities have been trading on the OTC market, for a combined total of a full 3 years, or is a secondary exchange (or OTC) listed company whose stocks, or securities representing its stocks, have been listed and traded on one of the overseas securities markets approved by the competent authority for a full 3 years. However, in any of the following circumstances, this restriction shall not apply: A. An issuer filing to issue straight corporate bonds is a company controlled by another company, the controlling company has issued a declaration and commitment fully guaranteeing the bonds, and the stock of the controlling company has been listed and traded on one of the overseas securities markets approved by the competent authority for a full 3 years. B. The issuer is an overseas financial institution that has been approved by the FSC to establish a domestic branch in the ROC, and the stock of the financial institution's parent holding company has been listed and traded on one of the overseas securities markets approved by the competent authority for a full 3 years. C. The filing for issuance of straight corporate bonds is made by a branch of a foreign financial institution, the foreign financial institution has issued a declaration and commitment assuming full responsibility for the branch's bond issuance activities and the performance of its obligations thereunder, and the shares of the foreign financial institution or its shareholding parent company have been listed and traded on an approved overseas securities market for a full three years. 2. The issuer's net worth, as stated in the CPA audited and attested financial report for the most recent year, is not less than NT$500 million. 3. The issuer is not currently in material breach of contract or material default on the payment of principal and interest, with respect to any previously issued corporate bonds or other debt, or more than 3 years have passed since the date of resolution of any previous instance of such breach or default. 4. The issuer has not been sanctioned by the FSC or the competent authority of its overseas country of listing within the past 3 years for any breach of information disclosure regulations. 5. Any plan for a cash capital increase or issuance of corporate bonds that received effective registration from the FSC or the competent authority of the overseas country of listing within the past 3 years has been executed according to schedule and with no material alteration. 6. The CPA engaged by the issuer has received no warning or any other more serious sanction under the law within the past 3 years due to work related to the offering and issuance of securities. 7. The lead underwriter engaged by the issuer has received no sanction pursuant to law or regulation ordering it to dismiss a director, supervisor, or managerial officer, or any other equally or more serious sanction, within the past 3 years due to work related to the offering and issuance of securities. Article 5 shall apply mutatis mutandis to a foreign issuer that files for registration in accordance with the preceding paragraph. The expected issue period referred to in paragraph 1 shall not exceed 2 years counting from the date of effective registration. The foreign issuer shall set the period at the time of registering with the FSC.
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Article 46
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When issuing straight corporate bonds within the expected issue period as referred to in the preceding article, the foreign issuer shall, on the next business day after it has completed collecting the payment, submit the Supplementary Shelf Registration Statement for Issuance of Straight Corporate Bonds by a foreign issuer (Attachment 21) complete with all required information, together with the required documents, to the FSC for recordation. With respect to issuance by a foreign issuer of straight corporate bonds during the expected issue period referred to in the preceding article, the FSC may void a foreign issuer's current supplementary issue of straight corporate bonds if there is any violation of Article 7 or paragraph 1 of the preceding article.
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Article 54
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A primary exchange (or OTC) listed company intending to issue stock on an overseas securities market in connection with a capital increase, or to trade on an overseas securities market with shares that have already been issued, shall file the respective Registration Statement for a Foreign Issuer Offering and Issuing Overseas Stock corresponding to the nature of the case (Attachments 22 and 23), specifying the required particulars, together with the required supporting documents, and may proceed with the issue only after the registration filing with the FSC becomes effective. The provisions of Chapter IV of the Regulations Governing the Offering and Issuance of Overseas Securities by Issuers shall apply mutatis mutandis to a primary exchange (or OTC) listed company issuing overseas stock.
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Article 55
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A primary exchange (or OTC) listed company filing for registration for a sponsored issue of overseas depositary receipts using either new shares issued for a capital increase or using shares that have already been issued shall file the respective Registration Statement for a Sponsored Issue of Overseas Depositary Receipts corresponding to the nature of the case (Attachments 24 to 28), specifying the required particulars, together with the required supporting documents, and may proceed with the issue only after the registration filing with the FSC becomes effective. When a primary exchange (or OTC) listed company filing for registration of a sponsored issue of overseas depositary receipts using new shares issued for a capital increase, it shall state the basis for setting the issue price, the reasonableness thereof, and any effects on shareholders' equity and refer the same to a shareholders meeting for approval by resolution. If any directors, supervisors, managerial officers, or shareholders holding more than ten percent of the total shares of a primary exchange (or OTC) listed company intends to engage the depositary institution to reissue overseas depositary receipts in an amount not exceeding the number of those shares for which the overseas depositary receipts have already been redeemed they shall file an application (Attachment 29) under Article 22-2, paragraph 1, subparagraph 1 specifying the required particulars, and may proceed with the issue only after the application has been approved by the FSC. Overseas depositary receipts reissued under the preceding paragraph shall be limited to those overseas depositary receipts that the deposit contract and custody contract expressly provide may be reissued following redemption. The provisions of Chapter II of the Regulations Governing the Offering and Issuance of Overseas Securities by Issuers shall apply mutatis mutandis to a primary exchange (or OTC) listed company sponsoring issuance of overseas depositary receipts.
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Article 56
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A primary exchange (or OTC) listed company or emerging stock company offering and issuing overseas corporate bonds shall file the respective Registration Statement for a Sponsored Issue of Overseas Corporate Bonds corresponding to the nature of the case (Attachments 30 to 32), specifying the required particulars, together with the required supporting documents, and may proceed with the issue only after the registration filing with the FSC becomes effective. When a primary exchange (or OTC) listed company has already offered and issued overseas corporate bonds, if the conversion rules or warrant exercise rules stipulate that overseas depositary receipts will be provided for conversion or exercise of the overseas corporate bonds, it shall file a Registration Statement for a Sponsored Issue of Overseas Depositary Receipts (Attachments 33 and 34) specifying the required particulars, and annexing the required supporting documents, and may proceed with the issue only after the registration filed with the FSC becomes effective. Chapter III of the Regulations Governing the Offering and Issuance of Overseas Securities by Issuers shall apply mutatis mutandis to a primary exchange (or OTC) listed company or emerging stock company offering and issuing overseas corporate bonds.
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Article 58-1
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If individuals, juristic persons, groups, or other institutions from the Mainland Area have direct or indirect shareholding or capital contribution exceeding 30 percent in, or effective control over, a foreign issuer, before the foreign issuer may file for retroactive handling of public issuance procedures, it shall fill out an application form with relevant documentation attached and submit it to the TWSE or GSTM, which shall review and forward them to the FSC for special-case permission. A foreign issuer filing for special-case permission pursuant to the preceding paragraph shall simultaneously meet the following conditions: 1. Shareholding in the foreign issuer by Taiwanese enterprises is higher than shareholding in the foreign issuer by Mainland Area enterprises. 2. Taiwanese enterprises have effective control over the foreign issuer. "Taiwanese enterprise" in the preceding paragraph means a juristic person, group, or other institution of the Taiwan Area, or a company in which the same have invested in a third jurisdiction, and in which the same furthermore have direct or indirect shareholding or capital contribution exceeding 30 percent, or have effective control. If the Taiwanese enterprise engages in investment in the Mainland Area, it shall additionally obtain permission from the Ministry of Economic Affairs. "Mainland Area enterprise" in paragraph 2 means a juristic person, group, or other institution of the Mainland Area, or a company in which the same have invested in a third jurisdiction in accordance with Article 3 of the Regulations Governing Permission for People from the Mainland Area to Invest in the Taiwan Area, but does not include Taiwanese enterprises and foreign-invested enterprises incorporated in the Mainland Area. "Foreign-invested enterprise" in the preceding paragraph means an enterprise incorporated in the Mainland Area and the total capital of which is invested by foreign investors.
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Article 60
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A primary exchange (or OTC) listed company or emerging stock company issuing employee stock warrants or new restricted employee shares shall file a Registration Statement for Issuance of Employee Stock Warrants (Attachment 36) or Registration Statement for Issuance of New Restricted Employee Shares (Attachment 36-1), specifying the required particulars, together with the required supporting documents, and may proceed with the issue only after the registration filing with the FSC becomes effective. The provisions of Chapter IV of the Regulations Governing the Offering and Issuance of Securities by Securities Issuers shall apply mutatis mutandis to a primary exchange (or OTC) listed company or emerging stock company issuing employee stock warrants or new restricted employee shares.
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Article 62
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A primary exchange (or OTC) listed company or emerging stock company conducting a capital reduction shall file a Registration Statement (Attachment 37), specifying the required particulars, together with the required supporting documents, with the FSC. Such filings will become effective, respectively, 12 business days or 7 business days immediately from the date the FSC and the institution designated by the FSC receive the Capital Reduction Registration Statement. Article 4, paragraphs 2 to 4 and Article 5, paragraphs 2, 3, 5, and 6 shall apply mutatis mutandis to cases under the preceding paragraph. If, after effective registration, there is discovered any circumstance under Article 9, paragraph 1, subparagraph 6 or 7 or any violation of Article 4, paragraphs 2 to 4 herein, the FSC may void or revoke the effective registration.
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