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Title Taipei Exchange Procedures for the Review of Securities for TPEx Listing CH
Date 2006.08.17 ( Amended )

Article Content

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3 A public company applying for OTC listing of already-issued securities shall fill out the GreTai application form, enclosing the complete set of attachments listed therein. After the GreTai Listing Department confirms that a complete set of documents has been submitted, the mail department will sign for acceptance of the application, which then will be registered, assigned a case number, and forwarded to the appropriate case-handling unit for processing in the order of its acceptance. A company applying for OTC listing pursuant to Article 3, paragraph 4 of the GreTai Securities Review Regulations shall prepare the documents required by the Ministry of Economic Affairs' Industrial Development Bureau ("IDB") Directions for Contracted Provision of Assessment Opinions Regarding the Successful Development and Marketability of Products Under Application by Technology Enterprises, then apply to the GreTai for issuance of an assessment opinion, copying the application and relevant documents to the IDB. Upon receipt of the documents, the case-handling unit shall request an opinion from the IDB, and upon the GreTai's receipt of the IDB letter of reply with the assessment opinion, will issue the opinion to the applicant company. The applicant company shall apply for OTC trading of its stock within one year from the date of issuance of the IDB letter and assessment opinion; where this time limit is exceeded, reapplication to the GreTai will be required.
4 After the case-handling unit's receipt of documents in connection with an initial application for OTC listing, the unit shall proceed with the application through an ad hoc working group of at least two persons, depending on the availability of personnel within the department, and shall also seek advice from specialists in accordance with the GreTAi's Directions for Hiring Specialists for Consultation and Provision of Advisory Opinions in Applications for OTC Listing of Shares. A specific staff member shall be appointed to handle the application for listing of new capital increase shares, corporate bonds, or other securities by an already OTC listed company. Upon accepting appointments to handle OTC listing applications, staff members shall sign in the document receipt register of the case-handling unit. In addition to placing application documents and attachments in custody, a monthly report shall be compiled on the status of OTC listing applications for the previous month. The Directions for Hiring Specialists for Consultation and Provision of Advisory Opinions in Applications for OTC Listing of Shares will be separately adopted by the GreTai. After acceptance of application documents, the GreTai will solicit review opinions on the OTC listing in accordance with the "Directions for Solicitation of Opinions in Reviews of Initial Applications for OTC Listing by Public Companies." The "Directions for Solicitation of Opinions in Reviews of Initial Applications for OTC Listing by Public Companies" will be separately adopted by the GreTai.
5 In a company's initial application for OTC listing, case-handlers shall review its CPA-audited and attested financial reports for the preceding two years, approved by the board of directors and recognized by the supervisors; where any individual account has irregularities, the same account in the previous year's financial reports shall be reviewed. In cases where the financial report approved by the shareholders meeting is inconsistent with the former report, the report approved by the shareholders meeting shall also be submitted. In the case of applications for OTC listing by government-operated enterprises, the financial report for the most recent fiscal year, CPA-audited and attested and approved by the board of directors and recognized by the supervisors, shall still be submitted, whereas for the previous year, an audit report from an auditing institution may be submitted as an alternative. Where the review period spans April, August, or October, the applicant shall be notified to additionally submit, prior to the end of May, September, or November, financial reports for the first quarter, first half, and third quarter of the given fiscal year, reviewed by a CPA. Where the review period extends two or more months beyond the end of the year, within four months of the end of the year the applicant company shall additionally submit the financial report for the current year, audited and attested by a CPA, along with the CPA's working papers and an updated assessment report by a recommending securities firm. And when the applicant company submits its application materials, its financial forecast covering up to the end of the next quarter shall be obtained for use as reference in the audit, and then once every quarter the applicant company shall be contacted and requested to additionally submit a financial forecast covering up to the end of the following quarter, with this procedure to be repeated until the Committee for Review of OTC Securities Listings is requested to conduct a review. If an applicant company fails to provide the required documents within the prescribed periods, the GreTai shall return its application. The term "review period" in the preceding paragraph refers to the period extending from the date of the GreTai's acceptance of documents for application for OTC listing to a date determined by the GreTai's board of directors.
6 Directions governing review: The provisions of this paragraph apply without exception to all reviews of initial OTC listing applications. After receiving an application for OTC listing, case handlers shall review the application, its attachments, and all information provided by the applicant company and the recommending securities firm or CPAs, taking into consideration the matters below, and in addition shall carry out an especially rigorous audit in any case where, after an advisory contract has been entered into, an application for OTC listing is promptly submitted without a reasonable period of time allowed for advice or assessment: 1. Certified Public Accountant's Audit Report: (1) If there has been a change in CPAs during the two fiscal years preceding the application date, the issuing company, the original CPA, and the successor CPA shall submit a written report explaining the change of accountants, and the case handlers shall ascertain the facts and reasons underlying the change. (2) For any CPA audit report issued with other than an unqualified opinion, the reviewers shall take note of the underlying facts and reasons and assess the extent to which they will affect the company's financial statements. (3) The attesting CPA for the most recent two years shall be a practicing CPA at a joint accounting firm approved by the competent authority. (4) The audit report shall state that the report is prepared in accordance with the Regulations Governing the Preparation of Financial Reports by Securities Issuers or the Regulations Governing the Preparation of Financial Reports by Securities Firms, and in accordance with Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP). (5) When the applicant's financial reports for the most recent accounting year or the most recent period during the year of application reveal any of the following circumstances, its financial report must comply with applicable regulations: (i) Fifty percent or more of the applicant's pre-tax income is from returns on investment in a single overseas company. (ii) A single overseas company invested in by the applicant has after-tax losses for the current period equal to 50 percent of the share capital stated on its financial report or NT$100 million or more. (iii) Fifty percent or more of the applicant's operating revenues, gross profits, or total purchase amounts are from a single overseas company in which the applicant has invested. (iv) The output of a single overseas company in which the applicant has invested accounts for 50 percent or more of the applicant's gross production value (including internal production, outsourcing, and external purchasing). (v) The cumulative total of amounts originally invested by the applicant company in a single overseas company equals 20 percent or more of the share capital stated on the applicant's financial report or NT$100 million or more. The term "comply with applicable regulations" above herein means: (i) When the applicant has a controlling interest in the overseas company (in accordance with the definition given in the Statement of Financial Accounting Standards), or while not having a controlling interest, adopts the equity method for recognizing gains and losses on investment: When the financial reports of the given overseas investee are audited and attested by other CPAs and the applicant company's use of the equity method of recognizing gains and losses or production of consolidated financial statements is based on those reports, the applicant company's CPA shall produce an audit report on the applicant company's financial statements with an unqualified opinion and without reference to any other accountant's audit. Case handlers shall inspect the materials used by the applicant company's CPA for its assessment and verification of the overseas investee's CPA and audit report, in order to determine whether the assessment and auditing procedures were comprehensive and in conformance with the relevant provisions of the ROC Statements of Financial Accounting Standards. In addition, when a company applying for OTC listing employs the same CPA for auditing and attestation as the overseas investee, and when, in the preceding three years, disciplinary action has been taken against that CPA by the competent authority or a disposition issued under Article 37, paragraph 2 of the Securities and Exchange Act, or when the CPA has accumulated two or more demerits within the preceding year in accordance with the Regulations for Handling Deficiencies in Certified Public Accountants' Reviews of OTC Stock Listing Applications and the GreTai Regulations Governing the Handling of Errors by Certified Public Accountants in Auditing of Initial Applications for Market Listing, another CPA shall be engaged to perform the auditing and attestation. (ii) The provisions of the preceding paragraph need not apply to an applicant company that does not use the equity method for to account for gains and losses on investment in an overseas company. 2. Content of Financial Reports: (1) Whether the type, format, and content of financial reports (including financial statements, notes, itemized statements of individual accounts, and other disclosures and explanations relevant to informed judgment) comply with the Regulations Governing the Preparation of Financial Reports by Securities Issuers or the Regulations Governing the Preparation of Financial Reports by Securities Firms and with Generally Accepted Accounting Principles and applicable laws and regulations. (2) Case handlers shall perform an overall analysis of the report both on its own and in comparison with those from other companies in the same industry, to ascertain emerging trends and possible irregularities in the applicant company's financial condition and profitability. (3) If unusual accounting items are found in the financial report (such as amounts entered under the names of individuals or organizations in a receivable/payable relationship, dealings between enterprises in the same line of business, dealings between shareholders, temporary debits, start-up costs, or unamortized expenses) and a large sum of money is involved, the item in question shall be audited to ascertain its composition and categorization. (4) Case handlers shall determine the status of adjustments or improvements required in the financial statements as instructed in writing by the competent authority. (5) The case handlers shall examine in depth any of the following special or irregular circumstances through a review of the certified public accountant (CPA)'s working papers: (i) Transactions between major affiliated persons: any large transactions between affiliated persons indicating arrangements contrary to normal operating practice or illicit exchanges of profits or benefits. (ii) Any improper or irregular matters with respect to categorization, cross transfers, or accounting in financial assets. A case handler shall also ascertain whether any important subsidiary has any irregularities concerning the allowance bad debts among the receivables, the provision of reserves against inventory depreciation, the loan of funds to another party, or the provision of an endorsement or guarantee for another party, and whether there is any need to adjust any financial reports. (iii) The status of allocation of reserve funds to offset bad debt and the content of the auditing CPA's assessment. (iv) Basis of account entry and valuation of inventory; where there are large gains or losses on physical inventory, the reasons shall be investigated. (v) Any major, irregular changes to fixed assets involving transactions among associated persons. (vi) The accounting treatment of capitalization of interest. (vii) Leasing transactions: the accounting and categorization of business leasing or capital leasing. (viii) Deferred assets: items which should be listed as expenses or losses for the current period, such as losses due to suspension of work, extraordinary losses, losses during the start-up period, or employee benefits, shall not be listed as amortization of deferred assets. (ix) Monetary transactions: The interest rates and payment status on large interest-free or low interest loans obtained from affiliates, shareholders, or related parties, and high-interest loans to affiliates, shareholders or related parties. (x) Retirement rules and pension fund withholding status. (xi) Income tax accounting and offsetting of assets and liabilities with respect to deferred income tax. (xii) Status of disclosure of contingent liabilities and of lines of credit obtained jointly from banks by the applicant company and its affiliates. (xiii) Assets obtained on installment plans and accounting of sales. (xiv) Gross profit margin on sale of goods, inventory turnover rate, and accounts receivable turnover rate for the most recent two fiscal years. (xv) Reasons for any extraordinary losses or gains, or large non-operating income or expenditures, and the treatment and presentation of extraordinary losses and gains. (xvi) Whether in the most recent fiscal year there have been any irregularities in the process of capital formation through cash subscription, or in the sources funds or their use. (xvii) Whether the parties that pay off receivables are the same as the parties to whom the sales were made. (xviii) Any new customer acquired within the past two years that is a related party or among the applicant company's ten largest customers shall be included in the audit sample when the audit is carried out. It shall be further ascertained whether the customer is a related party, and how the terms of the transaction agreement with the new customer differ from those of a contract with an ordinary customer, in order to confirm whether the figures for sales revenue have been recorded in a manner consistent with the principle of realized revenue. (xix) Must ascertain whether any of the receivables of an affiliated enterprise are overdue, and if there are overdue items, must ascertain the reason therefore and whether there exists any irregularity. (6) Financial forecast information (i) A case handler shall check whether the information in a financial forecast includes at least a condensed balance sheet and a condensed income statement, whether it provides a concrete opinion regarding future trends in the overall economy, the industry, and the company's main products, and whether it indicates the basis and content of important basic assumptions. (ii) During the period covered by the financial forecast information, the applicant company shall conduct a monthly check of the difference between actual figures and forecast figures, and if it discovers a material difference or finds that there has been a material change in the original financial forecast information, it shall promptly update (correct) the financial forecast information and submit related materials for auditing reference. (iii) The quarterly financial forecast information that an applicant company submits on an ongoing basis before requesting a review by the Committee for Review of OTC Securities Listings, is only to be used in connection with the review of the OTC listing, and shall not be externally disclosed or revealed. (iv) After the Committee for Review of OTC Securities Listings has approved an application for OTC listing but before the securities have been OTC-listed and begun trading, if a case handler discovers that the financial forecast information submitted by the applicant company differs materially from the actual figures for the financial report covering the same period, and that the OTC listing is likely to be unallowable pursuant to any clause under the GreTai Securities Market Regulations Governing Review of Securities Traded on Over-the-Counter Markets, the case handler shall determine the facts and handle the matter as quickly as possible. 3. The internal control system and internal control declarations and project audit reports: (1) Ascertain the status of the formulation and implementation of internal control systems. (2) Investigate whether the applicant company has performed a self-inspection of the effectiveness of the design and implementation of its internal control system and produced an internal control declaration in compliance with the Regulations for the Establishment of Internal Control Systems by Public Companies, and obtained a CPA's project audit report with an unqualified opinion (1). (3) Self-inspection of internal control systems and performance of project audits by CPAs shall cover the following periods: For applications submitted from February through April, the period covered shall be 1 January through 31 December of the previous year; for applications submitted from May through July, the period covered for shall be from 1 April of the previous year until 31 March of the year of application; for applications submitted from August through October, the period covered shall be from 1 July of the previous year until 30 June of the year of application; for applications submitted from November through January of the following year, the period covered shall be from 1 October of the previous year until 30 September of the year of application. Two or more practicing CPAs of a joint accounting firm shall jointly perform the inspections or audits and issue a report. The "Operating Procedures for Review of Internal Control Systems Inspection Reports Issued by CPAs" will be separately adopted by the GreTai. 4. During the review process, the case handlers shall note whether the CPA has complied with Generally Accepted Accounting Principles, the Regulations for the Establishment of Internal Control Systems by Public Companies and all other applicable laws and regulations and shall, through scrutiny of the CPA's working papers for the relevant fiscal year, fully ascertain the tests applied, scope, time frame, characteristics, whether there has been full factual disclosure, whether the accountant has omitted any procedural requirements (e.g. monitoring of remaining inventory, certification and reconciliation of bank account balances) and failed to adopt other substitute procedures. If it is determined that the auditing procedures executed by the CPA are insufficient to reach the necessary conclusions, the case handlers shall request that the accountant provide supplementary explanations. 5. The recommending securities firm's assessment report: Case handlers shall inspect the format and content of the underwriter's assessment report to determine: (1) Whether the report has been compiled in accordance with the requirements of Directions Governing the Particulars to be Recorded in Underwriter Assessment Reports for Applications for OTC Trading of Securities and signed by the lead underwriter and sponsoring underwriter. The Directions Governing the Particulars to be Recorded in Underwriter Assessment Reports for Applications for OTC Listing of Securities shall be separately promulgated by the GreTai. (2) Whether the working papers have been properly prepared. (3) Whether a Declaration has been produced testifying that the assessment report is free of any misrepresentations or nondisclosures. 6. The public prospectus: The case handlers shall examine the format and content of the prospectus to ensure that it has been compiled in accordance with the Directions for the Particulars to be Recorded in Prospectuses for Initial OTC Listing of Securities and other relevant laws and regulations. 7. The case handlers shall ascertain whether any of the negative criteria detailed in the subparagraphs of Article 10, Paragraph 1 of the GreTai Securities Review Regulations, or any of its supplementary provisions, apply to the applicant company, whether it has complied with instructions contained in official notifications by the competent authority, and whether there were significant changes in the applicant company's most recent capital increase plan or any failure to carry out those plans. Such information shall be provided in detail in the review report and working papers. If any nonconformance with regulations is found, the case handlers shall attach their opinions and submit them for further review by higher levels. 8. The case handlers shall carry out on-site observation of the applicant company's operations and interview the applicant company's responsible person regarding his or her management approach and performance over recent years. If irregularities are found during the formal review, the case handlers shall examine the working papers prepared by the CPA or other documentation provided by the applicant company, the accountant, and the underwriters. If after due examination of the above, the case handlers are still unable to gain a complete picture of the applicant company's operations, an on-site inspection of the applicant company may be undertaken. If the applicant company is a financial holding company or an investment holding company, all above procedures shall be conducted for its subsidiaries or for holding company subsidiaries in which are held more than 80 percent of outstanding voting shares. However, where such a subsidiary or holding company subsidiary is located offshore, a formal review shall suffice. The term "subsidiary" shall be construed in accordance with its meaning under Article 4, subparagraph 4 of the Financial Holding Company Act.
7 Review procedures: 1. After they have been delegated an OTC listing case, the case handlers shall complete the following review procedures: (1) Application Documents: Case handlers shall check all application documents received and complete an "Application Document Receipt Record for OTC Trading of Securities." (Appendix 1). (2) Preliminary prospectus: Case handlers shall check each item of the content of the preliminary prospectus against the Directions for the Particulars to be Recorded in Prospectuses for OTC Trading of Securities and other relevant regulations, and re-examine the Checklist of Legal Issues to be Examined upon Application by Issuers for OTC Listing of Stock (Appendix 2) completed by the securities underwriter. (3) The recommending securities firm's assessment report: Case handlers shall review the underwriter's assessment report and its abstract and check whether each item was assessed in accordance with the rules and regulations of the GreTai and whether it draws clear and definitive conclusions, and enter an opinion in the "remarks" column for the GreTai in the "Abstract of the Underwriter's Assessment Report" (Attachment 3). Any matters relating to the requirements of the If there exists any of the matters set forth in the GreTai's Regulations for Handling Deficiencies in an Assessment Report or Related Information Submitted by a Recommending Securities Firm, the matter shall be referred to a meeting of the Administration Department Review Committee for Compliance convened by the president of the GreTai and attended by GreTai-related personnel (“Administration Department Review Committee”) for passage of a resolution which shall serve as the basis for subsequent implementation. The Regulations for Handling Deficiencies in an Assessment Report or Related Information Submitted by a Recommending Securities Firm shall be separately promulgated by the GreTai. (4) Internal Control Systems: (i) Case handlers shall examine whether the applicant company's written accounting system and its implementation are in compliance with the Regulations Governing the Preparation of Financial Reports by Securities Issuers or the Regulations Governing the Preparation of Financial Reports by Securities Firms. (ii) Case handlers shall gain an understanding of, and compile and collate, comprehensive opinions, including the results and attached assessment opinion from the CPA's internal control system investigation, the recommendations as stated in the recommendation report, and the attached internal control system data in Item 2 of the Questionnaire for OTC Listing of Stock (Appendix 4) in compiling the Record of the Internal Control System Formal review (Appendix 5). (iii) Case handlers shall carry out the review in accordance with the Operating Procedures for Review of Internal Control Systems Inspection Reports Issued by CPAs, and fill out the "Chart for Review of the Internal Control System Audit Reports." (5) Comprehensive Analysis of Financial Information: Case handlers shall review the content of the Questionnaire for OTC Listing of Stocks and the annexed survey report for related industries, explanations of major changes in accounting items published in the prospectus, analytical data from the CPA's permanent records, and the recommending securities firm's assessment report to ascertain and assess the financial condition and trends of the applicant company and excerpt any important items or irregularities to compile the "Comprehensive Analysis of Financial Data" (Appendix 6). (6) Certified public accountant auditing procedures and financial report: Case handlers shall review the CPA's permanent files, the working papers for the internal accounting control system for the most recent fiscal year and the audit working papers for the two years immediately preceding the date of application and re-examine the "Certified Public Accountant Audit and Attestation Procedure Checklist" (Attachment 7) completed by the CPA to ensure compliance with published in the Statement on Auditing Standards No. 3 ("Audit Working Paper Standards")Statement on Auditing Standards No. 5 ("Investigation and Assessment of Internal Accounting Control Systems"), the Regulations for Auditing and Attestation of Financial Statements by Certified Public Accountants, and all other applicable regulations. Include excerpts or photocopies of important or irregular items in the report. Examine the content of the Questionnaire for OTC Listing of Stocks and supporting documentation, and the audit reports from a CPA for the most recent two fiscal years and the notes and itemized breakdowns of each accounting item therein to ensure that the content of the applicant company's financial reports is in compliance with Regulations Governing the Preparation of Financial Reports by Securities Issuers, the Regulations Governing the Preparation of Financial Reports by Securities Firms, Generally Accepted Accounting Principles, and all other applicable regulations. [After completion of the above] the case handlers shall note their opinion in the opinion column of the Certified Public Accountant Auditing Procedure Checklist. If the applicant company is found in violation of any of the requirements of the Regulations for Handling Deficiencies in Certified Public Accountants' Reviews of OTC Stock Listing Applications, the case handlers shall refer the matter to the Review Committee and execute the resolution passed by the committee. The above-mentioned Regulations for Handling Deficiencies in Certified Public Accountants' Reviews of OTC Stock Listing Applications shall be separately promulgated by the GreTai. (7) Equity distribution and custodial undertaking: Case handlers shall examine the following items and complete an "Equity Distribution and Custodial Undertaking Chart" (Appendix 8): (i) Whether, at the time of underwriting, the ratio of shares is in compliance with GreTai regulations. (ii) Whether equity distribution is in compliance, after the underwriting is finished, with the provisions of the GreTai Regulations Governing Review of Securities Traded on Over-the-Counter Markets. (iii) Whether the ratio of shares held by directors and supervisors is in compliance with the regulations of the competent authority. (iv) Whether the percentage of shares to be placed in centralized custody by the directors, supervisors, and shareholders holding 10 percent or more of outstanding shares, and their related undertakings, are in accordance with GreTai regulations. (8) Case handlers shall examine whether the applicant company is in compliance with each of the subparagraphs of Article 10, paragraph 1 of the GreTai Securities Review Regulations, and complete the "Checklist for Matters Set Forth under Article 10, Paragraph 1, of the Regulations for the Review of OTC Listings" (Appendix 9). (9) During review, case handlers shall consolidate all the above review data and relevant documentation (Attachments 1 through 9) into a binder. (10) To ascertain the actual status of the financial and business operations of the applicant company or gross irregularities left unresolved by the relevant review data, case handlers may conduct the following procedures: (i) Briefings to ascertain the following: The management approach and performance record of the applicant company's responsible person in recent years. Changes in the shareholdings of directors, supervisors, and shareholders with a greater than 10 percent share of the company's total issued equity during the most recent three fiscal years and random checks of actual shareholdings when necessary. Management and operational objectives of the company. Financial structure and management policies. Production processes. Production status. Analysis of sales income and costs and the state of competition in the industry. Inventorying and stock valuation methods; warehousing management. Dealings among affiliates. Salary and benefit regime. (ii) Inspection of factories, paying particular attention to the operational status of machinery and equipment. (iii) Where on-site inspections are necessary to understand other significant irregularities discovered in the formal review, case handlers may draft an inspection plan and conduct an on-site inspection of the irregularities following approval of the inspection plan by the Listing Department. (iv) Findings of on-site inspections shall be recorded in detail in the "On-Site Inspection Record" (Appendix 10). (11) Case handlers may, subject to the signed approval of the GreTai's president, consult with experts in relevant fields to ascertain information with respect to the current status and future development prospects of the applicant company within the industry. 2. Compilation of Working Papers: Case handlers shall consolidate and record in detail all review items and findings of the review, together with all relevant information, and number them in order for cross-referencing. Upon completion of the review, case handlers shall compile all review information (Appendices 1 through 10) and supporting documentation in a binder as their working papers and file them together with other public issuance approval information and keep them in the custody of the Listing Department (for a minimum of five years) for future reference and case management. 3. After completion of the working papers, case handlers shall compile the key findings, the opinions of relevant experts, and other relevant information into a "Review Report" (Appendix 11) and annex it to the working papers for reference during the review and deliberation of the case. 4. Review Period: Applications for initial OTC stock listing submitted by the first day of the current month shall be submitted for deliberation by the OTC Securities Review Committee in the following month. Under extraordinary circumstances, however, the Listing Department may, based upon review requirements or at the request of the applicant company and prior to the Review Committee meeting, extend the deadline for submission to the Review Committee, subject to the signed approval of the president of the GreTai. Extensions granted at the request of the applicant company shall be limited to a maximum period of one month and shall not extend into the following year. 5. Effect of the OTC Listing Review: The findings of the review of an application for OTC listing reflect the financial and business condition of the applicant company during only during a specific period, and should not be taken as a reflection of the overall or future performance of the applicant company. The results also depend largely on whether the applicant company has made full disclosure of information relating to its financial and business condition. The review results do not provide a guarantee of the quality of the applicant company and shall not be taken as a substitute for the functions and status of [reports of] securities underwriters and CPAs. Therefore, case handlers reviewing initial applications for OTC listing shall: (1) Case handlers shall carry out the review work with a positive service attitude and rely fully on all information and opinions provided by the applicant company, CPAs, and securities underwriters, except where any nondisclosure, fraud, falsehood, or error is discovered. (2) Where information or statements of opinion provided by the applicant company, securities underwriter, or CPA are found to contain any nondisclosure, fraud, error, falsehood, or otherwise seriously violate applicable laws or GreTai rules and regulations, those responsible shall be held fully liable under the law, and the matter shall be duly reported to the competent authority after handling by the GreTai pursuant to relevant regulations. The GreTai undertakes only the review and deliberation of applications. Responsible personnel shall, at the time of processing applications, act in accordance with the provisions of the GreTai's Disciplinary Standards for OTC Listing Review Personnel or the GreTai's Directions Concerning Matters for Collective Compliance by OTC Listing Review Committee Members, and remain detached, impartial, and objective to ensure compliance with all the procedural requirements of these Directions and other applicable regulations. In the event of any violation or negligence, where verified by investigation, personnel shall be responsible for matters that fall within the scope of their duties. (3) Where any concerns arise during the review period, case handlers shall contact the applicant company and securities underwriter and request that they take the initiative to collect relevant information in timely fashion and provide explanations.Review procedures: 1. After they have been delegated an OTC listing case, the case handlers shall complete the following review procedures: (1) Application Documents: Case handlers shall check all application documents received and complete an "Application Document Receipt Record for OTC Trading of Securities." (Appendix 1). (2) Preliminary prospectus: Case handlers shall check each item of the content of the preliminary prospectus against the Directions for the Particulars to be Recorded in Prospectuses for OTC Trading of Securities and other relevant regulations, and re-examine the Checklist of Legal Issues to be Examined upon Application by Issuers for OTC Listing of Stock (Appendix 2) completed by the securities underwriter. (3) The recommending securities firm's assessment report: Case handlers shall review the underwriter's assessment report and its abstract and check whether each item was assessed in accordance with the rules and regulations of the GreTai and whether it draws clear and definitive conclusions, and enter an opinion in the "remarks" column for the GreTai in the "Abstract of the Underwriter's Assessment Report" (Attachment 3). Any matters relating to the requirements of the If there exists any of the matters set forth in the GreTai's Regulations for Handling Deficiencies in an Assessment Report or Related Information Submitted by a Recommending Securities Firm, the matter shall be referred to a meeting of the Administration Department Review Committee for Compliance convened by the president of the GreTai and attended by GreTai-related personnel (“Administration Department Review Committee”) for passage of a resolution which shall serve as the basis for subsequent implementation. The Regulations for Handling Deficiencies in an Assessment Report or Related Information Submitted by a Recommending Securities Firm shall be separately promulgated by the GreTai. (4) Internal Control Systems: (i) Case handlers shall examine whether the applicant company's written accounting system and its implementation are in compliance with the Regulations Governing the Preparation of Financial Reports by Securities Issuers or the Regulations Governing the Preparation of Financial Reports by Securities Firms. (ii) Case handlers shall gain an understanding of, and compile and collate, comprehensive opinions, including the results and attached assessment opinion from the CPA's internal control system investigation, the recommendations as stated in the recommendation report, and the attached internal control system data in Item 2 of the Questionnaire for OTC Listing of Stock (Appendix 4) in compiling the Record of the Internal Control System Formal review (Appendix 5). (iii) Case handlers shall carry out the review in accordance with the Operating Procedures for Review of Internal Control Systems Inspection Reports Issued by CPAs, and fill out the "Chart for Review of the Internal Control System Audit Reports." (5) Comprehensive Analysis of Financial Information: Case handlers shall review the content of the Questionnaire for OTC Listing of Stocks and the annexed survey report for related industries, explanations of major changes in accounting items published in the prospectus, analytical data from the CPA's permanent records, and the recommending securities firm's assessment report to ascertain and assess the financial condition and trends of the applicant company and excerpt any important items or irregularities to compile the "Comprehensive Analysis of Financial Data" (Appendix 6). (6) Certified public accountant auditing procedures and financial report: Case handlers shall review the CPA's permanent files, the working papers for the internal accounting control system for the most recent fiscal year and the audit working papers for the two years immediately preceding the date of application and re-examine the "Certified Public Accountant Audit and Attestation Procedure Checklist" (Attachment 7) completed by the CPA to ensure compliance with published in the Statement on Auditing Standards No. 3 ("Audit
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16 Formal Review 1. Case handlers shall draft a formal review report and proposal (Attachment 11) with respect to the complete review findings and submit it to the Review Committee for consideration, and provide an opinion on whether or not they agree to OTC listing of the security. Where inspection finds an applicant company conforms to any of the conditions set forth in the provisos of Article 2, paragraph 3 or Article 3, paragraph 3 of the GreTai Supplementary Provisions for Applications for OTC Stock Listing by Group Enterprises, the fact shall be listed in the review report as an important factor for review. If the Listing Department finds the applicant company conforms to conditions in any one of the subparagraphs of Article 10, paragraph 1 of the GreTai Securities Review Regulations making OTC listing inadvisable, or is in violation of relevant supplementary provisions of the GreTai Securities Review Regulations, it shall make a recommendation against OTC listing in the review report or a recommendation that OTC listing be approved in consideration of the totality of factors, provided that it shall give an explicit recommendation against OTC listing when the applicant company conforms to the conditions under Article 10, paragraph 1, subparagraphs 7, 8, and 9 of the GreTai Securities Review Regulations making OTC listing inadvisable or is in violation of the GreTai Supplementary Provisions for Applications for OTC Stock Listing by Group Enterprises. 2. The review findings report, proposal information, and the audit report from the applicant company's CPA (including financial report) to be submitted along with the review recommendation for the initial application for OTC listing and the questionnaire for review by the Review Committee shall be submitted to each Review Committee member for evaluation no less than seven days prior to the convening of the Review Committee. Each Review Committee member shall complete a review opinion chart listing their opinions regarding each item and specifying any questions they may have and submit the review opinion chart to the Listing Department two days before the Review Committee convenes. The manager of the Listing Department shall designate a person to be responsible for the above items. The meeting sequence and order in which cases submitted during a given month shall be reviewed shall in principle be based on the serial number assigned to each OTC listing application in the order they are received. 3. Beginning three days prior to the convening of the Review Committee, the GreTai shall make available at a specific location for inspection by any member of the Review Committee the information relevant to the applicant company's application for OTC listing, the case handlers' audit report working papers, the CPA's audit report working papers, the recommending securities firm's assessment working papers. Review committee members that so require shall appear in person to inspect the documents.
17 Convening of Review Committee Meetings 1. When the Review Committee convenes, Review Committee members shall attend, along with relevant review personnel from the GreTai Review Department invited to provide direction. 2. When the Review Committee convenes, the GreTai may invite representatives of the applicant company, the recommending securities firm, the certifying CPA, or their attorneys to appear for questioning and supplementary explanation. Inquiries put forward by Review Committee members will be answered by relevant review personnel from the GreTai Review Department, after which, if necessary, relevant persons from the applicant company may also be invited to respond, and the reasonableness of the responses shall be carefully considered prior to the agreement for OTC listing of the securities being submitted to the competent authority for recordation. Questions involving calculation of the security's offering price or matters of professional judgment shall be handled in accordance with the above procedures, and in addition, the recommending securities firm shall also be asked to provide a supplementary assessment and the certifying CPA to issue an opinion. 3. After the conclusion of meetings of the Review Committee, the results of the review and the committee members' questions and the responses given shall be made available in the reading room at the GreTai.
18 When the Review Committee convenes, reviews of the following matters shall be conducted in accordance with the GreTai Securities Review Regulations and other relevant laws, regulations, and materials: 1. When it is determined through agreement that the conditions provided in any of the subparagraphs of Article 10, paragraph 1, subparagraphs 7 through 9 of the GreTai Securities Review Regulations exist or there is a violation of Article 2 or 3 of the GreTai Securities Market Supplemental Directions Governing Applications by Consortiums for Over-the-Counter Listing of Stock, the Review Committee shall make a resolution to reject the application. 2. Voting may commence only after a determination that none of the circumstances of the previous paragraph exist. A two-thirds majority (inclusive) of Review Committee members present shall be required for approval. 3. Where approval for OTC listing has been granted by resolution of the Review Committee, a record of the case shall be compiled and submitted to the Board of Directors. Where a resolution is approved to submit the application to the Board of Directors following submission of supplementary materials, the applicant company shall be notified in writing of a deadline by which the supplementation shall be completed, at which time the application shall be submitted to the Board of Directors. Where OTC listing approval is denied or the application rejected by resolution, signed approval of the GreTai's president shall be obtained and the company notified by letter.
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20 After a recommendation for OTC listing has been issued by the Review Committee in a case of initial application for OTC listing of securities, followed by submission to the board of directors and a resolution that the application shall be resubmitted after supplementation of relevant materials, the applicant company shall be requested by letter to supplement the materials within a prescribed period. If the application must be returned to the Review Committee for re-review, such review shall be carried out in accordance with Point 16, paragraph 2; the provisions of Point 18, paragraphs 1 and 2 shall be applied mutatis mutandis with regard to voting procedures. Where a resolution is passed in favor of OTC listing after the review, the application shall be resubmitted to the board of directors for consideration. Where a resolution is passed rejecting the application or against OTC listing, the written consent of the GreTai's president shall be obtained and a notification letter issued to the company.
21 The responsible department shall make reports on each month's processing of OTC listing application cases, to be submitted to the competent authority for recordation on or before the 10th of the following month.
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24 Applications for OTC trading of securities returned to the Review Committee by the competent authority for a re-review shall be handled in accordance with Point 16, paragraph 2; the provisions of Point 18, paragraphs 1 and 2 shall be applied mutatis mutandis with regard to voting procedures. When, after re-review, a resolution is still passed recommending OTC listing, the application shall be forwarded to the competent authority after being submitted to the board of directors for consideration; when a resolution is passed rejecting the application or against OTC listing, the written consent of the GreTai's president shall be obtained and a notification letter issued to the company.
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26 Re-review of Initial Applications for OTC Listing of Stock: 1. In cases where the Review Committee passes a resolution rejecting the application or against OTC listing, the applicant company may, within 20 days of the date of issuance of the GreTai's notification letter, submit its reasons for requesting re-review along with relevant materials to the GreTai for reconsideration. 2. An applicant company's reasons for requesting re-review shall be limited to whether the grounds for the original resolution rejecting the application or against OTC listing were erroneous. 3. After the Listing Department has rendered a specific opinion on the application for re-review, the application shall again be submitted to the Review Committee for review. During the review, case handlers shall compile a record of the previous review's question and answer session for the reference of committee members. Following the Review Committee's review of the application for re-review, where there are determined to be no grounds for re-review or where on the basis of relevant information OTC listing of the securities is still deemed inadvisable, the signed consent of the GreTai's president shall be obtained and the application returned. Where it is determined that there are grounds for re-review, the application shall be submitted to the GreTai's board of directors for consideration. 4. Where the Review Committee has resolved that there are no grounds for re-review or that based on the relevant materials OTC listing of the securities is still inadvisable, the applicant company may make no further application for re-review. 5. Where the board of directors resolves that there are grounds for a re-review and there are no other factors making OTC listing inadvisable, the company's securities shall be approved for OTC listing. 6. Where an applicant company withdraws its application for re-review during the review process, it shall be deemed not to have applied for re-review. 7. The content to be reviewed in applications for re-review shall be strictly limited to whether the grounds for the original rejection of the application or decision against OTC listing were erroneous and whether any other conditions have subsequently arisen rendering the securities unsuitable for OTC listing. The provisions of these Directions shall apply mutatis mutandis to the re-review process. The provisions of these Directions shall apply mutatis mutandis to the re-review period except where no other conditions have subsequently arisen rendering the securities unsuitable for OTC listing, and where the applicant for re-review has filed the application for re-review in a given month by the first of the month and within the current review year.
27 Where the applicant company's initial OTC listing application has been voluntarily withdrawn or there has been a resolution of the Review Committee or the board of directors rejecting the application or against OTC listing, it shall not apply again for OTC listing within six months beginning from the date of the GreTai's acceptance of the withdrawal or from the date on which the GreTai issues a letter of notification. After the passage of six months, application for OTC listing shall not be made again until a complete underwriter's assessment report has been submitted together with a new annual financial report (audited and attested by a CPA, approved by the board of directors, and recognized by the supervisors).
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