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.
RESOLUTIONS DEBATE: Taiwan’s allies said that UN and WHA resolutions cited by China and other nations ‘do not determine Taiwan’s participation in WHO activities’ A proposal to invite Taiwan to this year’s World Health Assembly (WHA) was rejected on Monday, resulting in Taipei’s absence from the annual meeting for a ninth consecutive year, although partners spoke up for Taiwan’s participation at the first day of the meeting. The first agenda item after the opening was a “two-on-two debate” on a proposal to invite Taiwan to participate at the WHA as an observer. Similar to previous years, two countries made statements in favor of the proposal, while two others expressed their opposition. Philippine Secretary of Health Teodoro Herbosa, president of the 78th WHA, accepted the WHA General Committee’s
Palauan President Surangel Whipps Jr arrived in Taiwan last night to kick off his first visit to the country since beginning his second term earlier this year. After arriving at Taoyuan International Airport at around 6:30 pm, Whipps and his delegation were welcomed by Minister of Foreign Affairs Lin Chia-lung (林佳龍). Speaking to gathered media, the Palauan leader said he was excited and honored to be back in Taiwan on his first state visit to Taiwan since he was sworn in this January. Among those traveling with Whipps is Minister of State Gustav N. Aitaro, Public Infrastructure
Premier Cho Jung-tai (卓榮泰) on Friday laid out the Cabinet’s updated policy agenda and recapped the government’s achievements ahead of the one-year anniversary of President William Lai’s (賴清德) inauguration. Cho said the government had made progress across a range of areas, including rebuilding Hualien, cracking down on fraud, improving pedestrian safety and promoting economic growth. “I hope the public will not have the impression that the Cabinet only asked the legislature to reconsider a bunch of legal amendments,” Cho said, calling the moves “necessary” to protect constitutional governance and the public’s interest. The Cabinet would work toward achieving its “1+7” plan, he said. The
Nvidia founder and CEO Jensen Huang (黃仁勳) hosted a dinner in Taipei last night with key Taiwanese suppliers to celebrate the successful mass production of the company’s new Blackwell AI systems. Speaking to the media earlier yesterday, Huang thanked Nvidia’s Taiwanese partners for their contributions to the company’s ecosystem, while also sharing his plans to meet with Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co (TSMC) founder Morris Chang (張忠謀). In response to rumors that Nvidia will launch a downgraded Hopper H20 chip for China in July, Huang dismissed the reports, saying, “That is not true.” He clarified that there
RSS