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About UsPostal Act

Last updated:2020/05/14 Print
Chapter One General Principles
Article 1   This Act is being established to ensure that postal services develop comprehensively and properly and are carried out in an accessible, fair and reasonable fashion, so as to better serve the public interest. Where matters are not covered under this Act, all other laws shall govern.
Article 2   The competent regulatory agency for this Act is the Ministry of Transportation and Communications (MOTC).
Article 3   In order to provide postal services, the MOTC has established the state-run Chunghwa Post Co., Ltd., hereinafter called Chunghwa Post. Unless otherwise specified by this Act, a separate law shall govern the establishment of Chunghwa Post.
Article 4   The following terms that appear in this Act are hereby defined:
1. Correspondence mail: this is the common name for letters, postcards, aerogrammes and letter sheets, printed materials, documents for the blind and small packets.
2. Letter: A document containing messages delivered to an addressee or designated address, excluding postcards, aerogrammes and letter sheets, printed materials and documents for the blind.
3. Postcard: This refers to a document containing messages on a single sheet of paper made in accordance with the quality and specifications designated by Chunghwa Post Co., Ltd, which is delivered without an envelope.
4. Aerogramme and letter sheet: this refers to the document containing a whole paper made according to the size and specifications designated by Chunghwa Post Co., Ltd and printed with messages on it, which is folded and sealed into an envelope and delivered without a separate envelope. The postage is printed on the cover. Chunghwa Post Co., Ltd issues its exclusive aerogrammes.
5. Printed material: This refers to newspapers, magazines, books, catalogs, etc.
6. Document for the blind: This refers to a document printed with marks or protruding texts for blind people, which is delivered with the text “document for the blind” printed on its front cover. Audiotapes, sound recordings, recording lines and special papers for the blind should be regarded as documents for the blind if sent from or delivered to a registered school for the blind.
7. Small packet: This refers to small article with a weight not exceeding 1kg, which is delivered to an addressee or designated address.
8. Parcel: This refers to articles other than small packets, which are delivered to addressees or designated addresses.
9. Mail items: documents or materials handed over to Chunghwa Post Co., Ltd for delivery, including correspondence mails, parcels or those that are processed electronically or by other methods.
10. Basic postage: the postage set by the competent authority, which is charged to correspondent mails delivered with the distance and weight at the first level.
11. Delivery: This refers to the sending and receiving, sealing and dispatching, shipping, and delivering of documents or materials.
12.Post office branches: Postal outlets of Chunghwa Post in locations around Taiwan that handle postal businesses.
13.Postal employees: All personnel who work for Chunghwa Post.
14. Postal assets: Movable property, real estate or other rights that Chunghwa Post utilizes for its operations.
15. Postal property: Structures, land, machinery, vehicles, boats, aircraft and other transportation devices that Chunghwa Post uses exclusively.
16. Postage stamps: Vouchers issued by Chunghwa Post that certify postage has been paid.
17. Postal identity cards: Cards issued and sold by Chunghwa Post to verify the identification of the holder.
18. International reply coupon: A coupon of monetary value that is sold and exchangeable for postage at post offices in member countries of the Universal Postal Union.
19. All other postage paid symbols: Imprints of postage stamps on postcards, aerogrammes and letter sheets, or postage impressions made by postage meters or printers or in any other manner approved by postal regulations.
20. Core Postal Information and Communication System: The information and communication system for deposit and remittance services that is necessary for the continuous operation of the deposit and remittance services of Chunghwa Post Co., Ltd. or that requires a high level of protection.
Article 5   Chunghwa Post may engage in the following businesses:
1. Delivery of mail.
2. Postal savings.
3. Remittances.
4. Simple life insurance.
5. Philately and related merchandise.
6. Management of postal assets.
7. Subject to approval by the MOTC, Chunghwa Post may also operate as an agent for other businesses, make investments, or operate related businesses as described under subparagraphs 1 to 6 of this article hereof.
Acticle 5-1 In order to protect people's basic rights and interests of correspondence, the competent authority should ensure the provision of popularized domestic delivery services.
To accomplish the aforesaid popularized delivery services, the service provider should provide basic delivery services with high quality and at reasonable price on the following items:
1. Single correspondence mail with a weight not exceeding 2kg.
2. Single parcel with a weight not exceeding 20kg and the sum of its length, width and height not exceeding 150cm.
3. Other documents or materials designated by the competent authority.
Chunghwa Post Co., Ltd should ensure the provision of the popularized delivery services provided in the preceding paragraph, however, the company may announce that it will restrict or suspend the delivery of the aforesaid mails due to any natural disaster or other force majeure events which may cause obvious difficulties in the implementation.
The competent authority should set the service standards for the popularized delivery services.
Article 6   Except Chunghwa Post Co., Ltd and its entrusted parties, no one may, for the purpose of business, deliver the following documents except for cross-border documents sent to and from other countries:
1. Postcards
2. Aerogrammes and letter sheets
3. letters:
(1) Sent by government bodies (organizations) at all levels, public schools, public legal persons, public institutions or military units
(2) Sent by parties other than the senders provided in the preceding item, where a single item with a weight less than 500gram or the postage of a single item not exceeding 13 times of basic postage.
  With the exception of delivery notices connected with shipments, no forwarding agency may deliver mail as described in the preceding paragraph.
Article 6-1 Business operators engaged in the sending, receiving and delivering of correspondence mails should indicate their names, trademarks or other identifiable signs on the cover of the correspondence mails. This is not required in the event that no addressee name and address are provided.
Article 7   Apart from Chunghwa Post or those it has authorized, no others may use the same words, graphics, symbols or combinations thereof (both in Chinese and foreign languages) that Chunghwa Post uses to display its business titles, services or products.
Article 8   Unless otherwise so ordered by law, mail items, postal assets, postal funds and postal property shall not be subject to inspection, conscription or seizure.
Article 9   Mail delivery services provided by Chunghwa Post, as well as all postal property and bills, receipts and other documents used to provide such services, shall be exempt from taxes.
  Where the perils of the sea fall upon mail during shipment, Chunghwa Post will share no liability.
Article 10   Neither Chunghwa Post nor its employees may open items of mail belonging to others except when they obtain the consent of the sender or the addressee and substantial evidence suggests that the mail item contains matter not permitted to be sent through the mail, the received preferential rate does not apply, or there has been a violation of postal laws.
  Proof of inspection shall be issued after the inspection is completed as mentioned in the previous paragraph. In the event that the sender or the addressee refuses the inspection request, Chunghwa Post may decline to accept or deliver the said mail item.
Article 11   Both Chunghwa Post and its employees shall be obliged to keep any information obtained through performance of official duties confidential. The same shall apply to those who have left the company’s employ.
Article 12   Actions affecting postal business handled by Chunghwa Post by legally incompetent persons or legally quasi-incompetent persons shall be deemed actions committed by competent persons.
Article 13   With respect to various mail items or business thereof, international postal treaties or agreements shall govern where applicable. In case this Act runs counter to those international laws, this Act shall govern in cases regarding domestic mail and those international laws shall govern in cases regarding international mail.