Taiwan Stock Exchange - Rules & Regulations Directory

Amendments

Title:
Taiwan Stock Exchange Corporation Rules Governing Review of Securities Listings(2010.12.01)

Article 26
Approval will be granted for the application submitted by a foreign issuer or its depositary institution for listing of Taiwan depositary receipts proposed to be issued if the application meets the following requirements:
1. Units of Taiwan depositary receipts to be listed: 20 million units or more or market value of NT$300 million or more; provided that the listed units may not exceed 50 percent of the total number of shares issued by the foreign issuer.
2. The stock, or the securities representing the stock, issued by the foreign issuer in accordance with the laws of its country of registration have been listed on the main board of one of the stock exchanges or securities markets approved by the Competent Authority before the listing of the Taiwan depositary receipts under the listing application.
3. Shareholders' equity: At the time of application for listing, the shareholders' equity stated on the financial report audited and certified by a Certified Public Accountant for the most recent period shall not be less than the equivalent of NT$600 million.
4. Profitability: It does not have accumulated deficit in the most recent one (1) fiscal year and meets one of the following criteria:
(1) The income before tax for each of the most recent two years represents not less than 6 percent of the shareholders' equity as shown in its final accounts, or the average income before tax for the most recent one year is 6 percent or greater; or
(2) The ratio of income before tax to shareholder's equity in the final accounting for each of the past two fiscal years is 3 percent or higher, or the average is 3 percent or higher, and the profitability in the most recent fiscal year is better year-on-year than in the preceding year.
(3) The income before tax for each of the most recent two years shall be NT$250 million or more.
5. Dispersion of shareholdings: At the time of proposed listing, the number of holders of the Taiwan depositary receipts in the Republic of China is not less than 1,000 persons, and the total number of units held by holders other than insiders of the foreign issuer and juristic persons of which such insiders own over 50 percent of the shareholding is not less than 20 percent of the total units issued or is 10 million units or more.
6. There shall be no restriction on transfer of stock, or securities representing such stock, represented by Taiwan depositary receipts.
7. The rights and obligations of the holders of stock, or securities representing such stock, represented by Taiwan depositary receipts shall be identical with those of other stock, or securities representing such stock, of the same class issued at the same time.
8. There is no abnormal fluctuation in the price of the stock represented by the Taiwan depositary receipts during the three months immediately prior to the approval of the listing agreement for Taiwan depositary receipts.
9. The depositary institution has not, within the past year, been sanctioned by the TWSE for any error in information reporting, where the circumstances were serious.
The financial information referred to in Subparagraphs 3 and 4 of the preceding paragraph will be examined [by the TWSE] based on the consolidated report or the consolidated financial statement prepared by the said foreign issuer in accordance with the laws and regulations of its country of registration or the country of listing and the audit opinion issued by a certified public accountant in the Republic of China stating the differences between the accounting principles applicable in the Republic of China and the accounting principles applicable in the country of registration or the country of listing of the said foreign issuer and the impact of such differences on such financial reports.
Unless otherwise prescribed by the Competent Authority, after the TWSE has submitted the listing agreement with respect to the application for listing of Taiwan Depositary Receipts to the Competent Authority and received its approval, the foreign issuer shall conduct a public sale pursuant to regulations from the date of the TWSE's written notification. If the Taiwan Depositary Receipts for which the foreign issuer applied for listing are not listed for trading within three months from the date of the TWSE's written notification, the TWSE shall void the listing agreement upon approval from the Competent Authority. Notwithstanding, if the foreign issuer, with legitimate reason, applies for an extension, then after the TWSE approves such extension and reports to the Competent Authority for approval and recordation, the foreign issuer may be granted a one-time only three-month extension.
The foreign issuer shall undertake in writing that, after listing, it will establish a reporting system with the TWSE for automatic synchronous reporting of material information.

Article 27-1
Approval will be granted for listing of the stock or Taiwan depositary receipts of a foreign issuer that applies for a secondary stock listing or that sponsors issuance of Taiwan Depositary Receipts by a depositary institution if the Industrial Development Bureau of the Ministry of Economic Affairs or a professional institution engaged by the TWSE issues an unequivocal opinion it is a technology enterprise, has successfully developed marketable goods or technology, and meets each of the following criteria:
1. Number of shares to be listed or units of Taiwan depositary receipts to be listed: 20 million shares or more, or shares with a market price of NT$300 million or more; or 20 million units or more, or units with a market price of NT$300 million or more; provided that it may not exceed 50 percent of the total number of shares issued by the foreign issuer.
2. The securities underwriter has provided a written recommendation.
3. The stock, or the securities representing such stock, issued by the foreign issuer in accordance with the laws of its country of registration have been listed on the main board of one of the stock exchanges or securities markets approved by the Competent Authority before the listing of the stocks or Taiwan depositary receipts under the listing application.
4. At the time of application for listing, the shareholders' equity stated on the financial report audited and certified by a Certified Public Accountant for the most recent period shall be the equivalent of NT$300 million or more and not less than two-thirds of the sum of capital stock and capital reserve; evidence shall also be required supporting that there is a sufficient amount of working capital covering the period of twelve months after the listing and half or more of such working capital is derived from the principal operating activities.
5. At the time of the proposed listing, the number of registered shareholders or holders of the Taiwan depositary receipts in the Republic of China is not less than 1,000 persons, and the total number of shares held by the shareholders or holders of the Taiwan depositary receipts other than insiders of the foreign issuer and juristic persons of which such insiders own over 50 percent of the shareholding is 20 percent or more of the total number of issued shares or is 10 million shares or more.
6. The stock to be listed shall be the same class of stock listed on other stock exchanges or securities markets. The rights and obligations of the holders of stock shall be identical with those of the same class of stock listed on other stock exchanges or securities markets. Local holders of the stock shall not be restricted from selling the stock on foreign stock exchanges or securities markets.
7. There is no abnormal fluctuation in the price of the stock, or securities representing the stock, issued by the foreign issuer under the law of the country of registration, during the three months immediately prior to the approval of the agreement for listing of shares or Taiwan depositary receipts with respect to which the listing application is submitted.
8. The depositary institution has not, within the past year, been sanctioned by the TWSE for any error in information reporting, where the circumstances were serious.
The foreign issuer shall undertake in writing that, after listing, it will establish a reporting system with the TWSE for automatic sychronous reporting of material information.

Data Source:Taiwan Stock Exchange - Rules & Regulations Directory
twse-regulation.twse.com.tw