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Article 4
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In the event any of the following deficiencies is found in the assessment reports or relevant information submitted by the securities underwriter, whether or not these reports or information have been withdrawn by the underwriter, the TWSE may impose demerit points depending on the seriousness of the deficiency, according to the following provisions:
- Ten demerit points will be imposed in case of false or concealed content; if the assessment report contains any false information or deliberately concealed facts, the TWSE may directly submit a report of the offense, accompanied by a description of relevant facts and evidence, to the Securities and Futures Investors Protection Center (SFIPC) for further action.
- In the event of an initial application for listing of securities or an OTC company applying for listing of securities, ten demerit points will be imposed in a circumstance described in Article 9, paragraph 1 of the TWSE Review Rules or where Article 18 or 19 of the Review Rules is violated; where a foreign issuer applying for primary stock listing or a subordinate company of such issuer is involved in the circumstances in Article 28-8, paragraph 1 of the Review Rules, or the foreign issuer violates Article 28-5 or 28-6; or a company applying for second listing of securities is involved in the circumstances under Article 27-2 of the Review Rules; or a merged company that is neither listed on the TWSE nor on the GreTai Securities Market (the "GTSM") under Article 53-2 of the TWSE Operating Rules (the "Operating Rules") or a company participating in conversion of shares that is neither listed on the TWSE nor on the GTSM under Article 53-12 of the Operating Rules is involved in the circumstances under which listing is advised against under Article 9, paragraph 1, subparagraphs 1, 3, 4, 6, 7, and 89 of the Review Rules; or a company participating in conversion to a financial holding company that is neither listed on the TWSE nor on the GTSM under Article 53-31, paragraph 2 of the Operating Rules is involved in the circumstances under which listing is advised against under Article 9, paragraph 1, subparagraphs 1, 3, 4, 6, 8, and 12 of the Review Rules; or the transferee company of a demerger under Articles 53-21 to 53-23 of the Operating Rules is involved in the circumstances under which listing is advised against under Article 9, paragraph 1, subparagraphs 1, 3, 4, 6, 7, 8, 9, 11 and 12, or Article 18 or 19, of the Review Rules, while the securities underwriter fails to provide an explanation.
- Five demerit points will be imposed in case of a major omission or apparent error in the assessment report according to the Criteria Governing Particulars to be Recorded in the Assessment Report of Securities Underwriter for Initial Public Offering or the Guidelines for Information to be Published in Assessments of Securities Underwriters for Offering and Issuance of Securities by Foreign Issuers, established by Taiwan Securities Association.
- Five demerit points will be imposed in case of a significant error in financial analysis or apparent improper sampling of companies.
- Three to five demerit points will be imposed in case of a mistake in the cited information.
- Three to five demerit points will be imposed in case of failure to exercise due care when collecting information, therefore not obtaining objective and reasonable evidence.
- Three to five demerit points will be imposed in case of failure to provide an adequate explanation on the failure of the specialists appointed by the underwriter or the opinion issued by the specialists to meet the requirements.
- One to three demerit points will be imposed in case of failure to submit consultation related information within the prescribed time frame according to the TWSE Rules Governing the Reporting of Basic Information of Advisory Client Companies by Securities Underwriters, or errors or omission in the information filed, for two or more times without reasonable explanation given.
- One to three demerit points will be imposed in case of failure to act in accordance with the TWSERules Governing the Reporting of Basic Information of Advisory Client Companies by Securities Underwriters without correction despite of the notice issued by the TWSE.
- One to five demerit points will be imposed in case of any other explicit deficiency for which TWSE determines a penalty should be imposed.
If the securities underwriter has committed a deficiency that falls into more than one circumstance in the first paragraph, the most severe penalty should be imposed. A more severe penalty may be imposed on the securities underwriter that has repeated the same deficiency as described in the first paragraph within the last two years.
For listed companies, if the securities of a primary listing company or second listing company that is involved in the circumstances under Article 148 of the Securities Exchange Act or Articles 50-1 and 50-3 of the Operating Rules within the first two ears after its shares have become listed are delisted from the TWSE according to Article 144 of the Securities Exchange Act, and its securities underwriter is found to have committed the a deficiency as listed in the first paragraph, the TWSE may impose a more severe penalty as follows on the underwriter, depending on the seriousness of the deficiency:
- The penalty will be doubled if the delisting occurs within one year;
- The penalty will be increased by half if the delisting occurs during the second year of listing.
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