instigated by this ambiguity. Such discretionary expansion is contrary to the
“Principle of the Explicit Delegation,” “Principle of Legal Reservation” and
“Principle of No Penalty Without a Law” set out by the Constitution, and could
hardly be appropriate. Upon investigation and subsequent follow-up by the
Control Yuan, the FSC indicated that it will assess the nature of any new type
of financial instruments and authorize these instruments on a case by case
basis, balancing the development of the securities market with the protection
of investors’ interests and rights.
114. The FSC indicated that the Regulations Governing the Offering and Issuance
of Securities by Foreign Issuers may serve as the basis for the presumption
that TDR has been authorized by the competent authority through the exercise
of its powers. Notwithstanding this contention, the authorization given by said
Regulations is found to have actually been based on Paragraph 1 of Article 22
of the Securities and Exchange Act, which aims to regulate “offering and
issuance,” obviously differing from the purposes stipulated in Paragraph 1 of
Article 6 of the same Act, which aims to regulate “types of securities.” In
addition, subparagraph 7, Article 3 of said Regulations only defines the TDR
nominally. Therefore, the FSC’s statement that the Regulations may serve as
the basis that TDR has been authorized by the competent authority through
exercise of its powers comes under suspicion of standing in contravention to
the Constitution, as it is beyond the scope authorized by the law. Upon
investigation and subsequent follow-up by the Control Yuan, the FSC
indicated that it will assess all new types of financial instruments by balancing
developments in the securities market with the protection of investor interests
and rights, and will establish the related decrees authorized by the Securities
and Exchange Act based on the authorized legal intent and by weighing the
overall purpose of the regulatory activity.
115. Paragraph 1 of Article 21 of the Health Food Control Act expressly states that
“Those guilty of manufacturing or importing health food without official
approval or violating the first paragraph of Article 6 hereof should be
imprisoned for not more than three years and may additionally be fined no
more than NT$1,000,000.” But the Act does not expressly stipulate how a
party in violation of Paragraph 2 of Article 6 of the same Act should be
punished. The competent authority, the Ministry of Health and Welfare, holds
that the penalty imposed in Paragraph 1 of Article 21 of the same Act may also
apply to a violation of Paragraph 2 of Article 6 of the same Act governing “any
food that is labeled or advertised as food furnishing specific nutrients or
specific health care effects.” As a result, many cases brought to court by local
health authorities based on the opinions given by the Ministry of Health and
Welfare have been rendered to be in conflict with the law and the principle of
no penalty without an applicable law has been encountered in multiple court
judgments, and it is difficult for the courts to impose sentences in these cases.
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