The Cabinet yesterday approved a draft amendment to the Commodity Tax Act (貨物稅條例) that seeks to extend a tax incentive program for energy-efficient household appliances until 2027.
Under the program, consumers can receive a tax reduction of up to NT$2,000 (US$62.47) when purchasing new refrigerators, air-conditioners and dehumidifiers.
The appliances must meet Level 1 or 2 of the energy-saving standards specified under the Bureau of Energy’s energy-efficiency rating program.
Photo: Chung Li-hua, Taipei Times
If passed by the Legislature Yuan, the tax rebate program, which is set to expire on June 14 would be extended until Dec. 31, 2027.
As of the end of March, the government had offered rebates of about NT$21.1 billion on 12.71 million units of household appliances since the measure was adopted in June 2019, the Ministry of Finance said.
Meanwhile, an additional provision has also been included in the draft amendment authorizing the Executive Yuan to seek another extension of up to two years after 2027, it said.
The purpose is to allow for rolling reviews of the policy’s effectiveness to ensure the efficient use of government resources, it said.
Citing Premier Cho Jung-tai (卓榮泰), Cabinet spokeswoman Michelle Lee (李慧芝) said during a news conference that encouraging consumers to buy energy-saving home appliances could help advance the government’s goal of achieving net zero emissions by 2050.
Cho also urged that the finance ministry and the Ministry of Economic Affairs to communicate and coordinate with the Legislative Yuan so that the amendment could be passed as soon as possible to ensure a continuation of the program, Lee said.
The Central Weather Administration (CWA) today issued a sea warning for Typhoon Fung-wong effective from 5:30pm, while local governments canceled school and work for tomorrow. A land warning is expected to be issued tomorrow morning before it is expected to make landfall on Wednesday, the agency said. Taoyuan, and well as Yilan, Hualien and Penghu counties canceled work and school for tomorrow, as well as mountainous district of Taipei and New Taipei City. For updated information on closures, please visit the Directorate-General of Personnel Administration Web site. As of 5pm today, Fung-wong was about 490km south-southwest of Oluanpi (鵝鑾鼻), Taiwan's southernmost point.
Tropical Storm Fung-Wong would likely strengthen into a typhoon later today as it continues moving westward across the Pacific before heading in Taiwan’s direction next week, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said. As of 8am, Fung-Wong was about 2,190km east-southeast of Cape Oluanpi (鵝鑾鼻), Taiwan’s southernmost point, moving westward at 25kph and possibly accelerating to 31kph, CWA data showed. The tropical storm is currently over waters east of the Philippines and still far from Taiwan, CWA forecaster Tseng Chao-cheng (曾昭誠) said, adding that it could likely strengthen into a typhoon later in the day. It is forecast to reach the South China Sea
Almost a quarter of volunteer soldiers who signed up from 2021 to last year have sought early discharge, the Legislative Yuan’s Budget Center said in a report. The report said that 12,884 of 52,674 people who volunteered in the period had sought an early exit from the military, returning NT$895.96 million (US$28.86 million) to the government. In 2021, there was a 105.34 percent rise in the volunteer recruitment rate, but the number has steadily declined since then, missing recruitment targets, the Chinese-language United Daily News said, citing the report. In 2021, only 521 volunteers dropped out of the military, the report said, citing
Nearly 5 million people have signed up to receive the government’s NT$10,000 (US$322) universal cash handout since registration opened on Wednesday last week, with deposits expected to begin tomorrow, the Ministry of Finance said yesterday. After a staggered sign-up last week — based on the final digit of the applicant’s national ID or Alien Resident Certificate number — online registration is open to all eligible Taiwanese nationals, foreign permanent residents and spouses of Taiwanese nationals. Banks are expected to start issuing deposits from 6pm today, the ministry said. Those who completed registration by yesterday are expected to receive their NT$10,000 tomorrow, National Treasury
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