The legislature on Friday passed a bill to extend tax rebates on energy-saving home appliances for another two years and the replacement of aging vehicles for five years.
Under amendments to the Commodity Tax Act (貨物稅條例), a measure aimed at encouraging people to buy energy-saving home appliances would continue until June 14, 2023.
The measure allows for a rebate of up to NT$2,000 (US$71.66) on new refrigerators, air conditioners and dehumidifiers that meet “level 1” or “level 2” energy efficiency standards specified in the Bureau of Energy’s rating system.
As of Jan. 31, the government has offered about NT$4.5 billion in rebates on 2.72 million home appliances through the scheme, which was adopted in June 2019, Executive Yuan data showed.
The measure has helped save about 400 million kilowatt-hours of electricity per year and cut carbon emissions by 220,000 tonnes, the Cabinet said last month.
The Ministry of Economic Affairs has estimated that 42.72 percent of household air conditioners and refrigerators are more than 10 years old.
The Ministry of Finance, which proposed the amendments, said that the extension of the tax refunds would help people save on energy bills while driving growth in the manufacturing sector.
Tax rebates on the replacement of old vehicles would be extended until Jan. 7, 2026, even though stricter rules are to be imposed. People who retire an old vehicle and buy a new one within a six-month period are eligible for a tax rebate of up to NT$50,000.
The maximum refund for motorbikes is NT$4,000.
Based on the amendments, the vehicles must be aged 10 years or older to qualify for the rebate, rather than the six years or older required in the previous version of the act.
The age requirement was raised to protect the used vehicle market, the Ministry of Finance said, adding that the new measure would discourage people from retiring their vehicles within less than 10 years of ownership.
Refund eligibility has also been extended to second-degree relatives of the owner of the vehicle that is to be retired.
The changes regarding the replacement of old vehicles would be enforced retroactively from Jan. 8, but people who retire vehicles after six to 10 years of ownership and buy new ones within a six-month period and before the amendments take effect are still eligible for tax rebates.
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