English
We appreciate the Taiwan government’s efforts to support the island’s digital transformation, including its development of a 5G policy and its push to modernize Taiwan’s Copyright Act for the digital era. We also look forward to the establishment of the proposed Ministry of Digital Affairs (MODA), which we believe will become a driving force for digital transformation in Taiwan.
We also note the increasing demand for smart policies in the digital era. Given the fast-changing environment brought about by digitalization and technological innovation, strict regulations or top-down approaches is not the best way for the government to support Taiwan’s digital transformation. Rather, providing incentives to industries, creating a level playing field, encouraging self-regulation and cooperation between government and industries, and establishing effective and efficient legal remedies for copyright and other issues will be the key to Taiwan’s success.
We offer the following suggestions as ways to ensure that industries can continue partnering with government to create a competitive, sustainable, resilient, and safe environment for telecommunications and media, attract foreign investment, foster innovation, and accelerate digital transformation, eventually benefiting Taiwan society as a whole.
Suggestion 1: Improve the environment for 5G application and development in Taiwan.
In recent years, emerging technologies such as low Earth orbit satellites, private networks, and digital platforms provide telecommunications and data services that are highly competitive in the telecom market. However, this industry not only continues to be highly regulated but also shoulders high construction costs that adversely affect the competitiveness of telecom operators.
According to the Communications and Broadcasting Market Research Report 2021 published by the National Communications Commission (NCC), although the revenues of telecom companies in the U.S. and Hong Kong continue to grow, those of telecom companies in Taiwan, the UK, Japan, South Korea, and Singapore have been decreasing. Moreover, Taiwan’s telecom industry faces growing competition from emerging service providers, technology providers, and digital platforms.
The Taiwan government, which has set the goal of becoming an innovative, inclusive, and sustainable “smart nation,” recently released its roadmap for achieving net-zero carbon emissions by 2050. It plans to create a competitive, sustainable, resilient, and safe environment to promote the growth of Taiwan’s economy, increase private investment, improve social welfare, and accelerate digital transformation. The key to reaching that objective is a robust, comprehensive communications environment.
We raised this issue in last year’s White Paper as well, but have seen little to no progress on our suggestions. We therefore recommend that the authorities loosen unnecessary restrictions, formulate relevant guidance for industry, and introduce incentives to promote the sustained development of the telecom sector. By doing so, government will enable telecom networks to become the driving force behind the digital transformation of Taiwan’s industries and accelerate Taiwan’s digitalization.
1.1 Establish a system of rewards and incentives: While driving digital transformation, industries face risks that may reduce their appetite for investment. Thus, we suggest that the proposed MODA establish a system of rewards and incentives to encourage the development of the telecom industry. To ensure that sufficient resources are available for that system to succeed, we recommend that it be given at least as large a budget as the Executive Yuan’s National Science and Technology Development Fund.
1.2 Create a level playing field: Taiwan’s telecom operators face growing competition from Beyond 5G, 6G, and low Earth orbit satellite operators that provide communication services, and private network operators offering 5G vertical services. However, imposing different regulations on similar services is not conducive to fair competition. We suggest that the Taiwanese government adjust regulations to reflect current circumstances. For example, emerging services similar to telecom services should comply with the Telecommunications Management Act and related regulations.
1.3 Enhance telecom industry competitiveness: International companies that are much larger than local ICT firms continue to enter the Taiwan market. To promote innovative 5G services, the government should dedicate more resources to encouraging the ICT industry to invest more in 5G and to cooperate with foreign companies. In order to achieve this goal, we reiterate our request from last year’s White Paper that the government amend the Statute for Industrial Innovation and its related regulations to double the allowable period for applying for tax deductions on investments to 10 years, as well as to increase the tax credit to NT$10 billion to reflect current needs in the Taiwan market.
1.4 Reduce network construction and operating costs for telecom operators: To attract foreign investment, an advanced network environment with reasonable prices is essential. However, Taiwan’s exorbitantly high spectrum and construction costs currently discourage investment in this sector. To enhance the competitiveness and attractiveness of Taiwan’s telecom environment, we suggest that the government decrease 4G frequency usage fees and waive such fees altogether for 5G.
Furthermore, we recommend broadening the provisions regarding tax relief and concessional financing benefits in the “Act for Promotion of Private Participation in Infrastructure Projects,” the “Statute for Encouragement of Private Participation in Transportation Infrastructure Projects,” and other related regulations to include telecom operators. We also urge the government to amend the Electricity Act to enable telecom operators engaging in projects related to public infrastructure or aiding underprivileged groups to receive subsidies for electricity usage. Lastly, the Taiwan government should consider international standards and industry needs in its promotion of domestically manufactured telecommunications equipment, so as not to hobble the development of the industry.
1.5 Reduce barriers to building infrastructure: Compared to low Earth orbit satellite and digital platform operators, telecom operators in Taiwan must work much harder to build their network infrastructure. We recommend that the government formulate rules for the use of public buildings and other facilities such as streetlights, traffic lights, electricity poles, and other equipment for building out 5G networks. We also urge the government to establish an agency tasked with ensuring coordination on 5G policy across the central and local levels and serving as a single point of contact for industry. This agency, together with a set of clear and consistent application procedures and fee-charging standards, would help ensure that obstacles to 5G network construction are quickly and effectively resolved. It would also increase telecom operators’ attractiveness to foreign investments and companies.
1.6 Ensure that spectrum policy is based on real market demand: Since 5G was introduced to the Taiwan market around two years ago, telecom operators have continued to build and optimize their 5G networks. The speed of cost recovery from construction of these networks and the amount of 5G frequency usage fees will depend on 5G’s market penetration rate. We therefore urge the government not to hold the next round of 5G spectrum licensing too early. Rather, the authorities should first solicit the views and opinions of industry in order to meet the development needs of the market. In addition, if international low Earth orbit satellite operators wish to use spectrum purchased by telecom operators in Taiwan, the government should implement measures to promote cooperation between these two industry players.
1.7 Loosen data restrictions to promote Taiwan’s digital economy: In order to reach the goal of a “Smart Taiwan,” we suggest that the government relax current personal data rules, for example by establishing sandboxes or setting national de-identification standards in the short term. In the longer term, it should revise relevant laws and regulations and formulate supporting measures.
Suggestion 2: Amend the Cable TV Act and the Satellite Broadcasting Act to maintain Taiwan’s competitiveness.
According to an NCC survey, Taiwan had 4.868 million cable TV subscribers in 2020 but by Q3 2021 the number had fallen to 4.768 million. In the face of challenges from digital multimedia platforms, the number of cable subscribers is continuing to decline. More cooperation is needed between industry and government to improve the pay television environment and provide better services to consumers. We urge the NCC to consider the following recommendations:2.1 Create a healthy and well-functioning operating environment: Taiwan’s cable TV ecosystem is complex and over the long term the industry has created a well- run, fixed market operation model, in which a proportion of subscription fees are used to cover the licensing fees for existing basic-tier channels, while some of the remaining funds go to licenses for newcomers. In order to ensure that the industry is able to maintain stable operations and produce high-quality programs to create healthy competition, we urge the NCC to consider industry engagement and consultation instead of regulatory options. Increasing regulatory measures not only is not conducive to the development of the cable TV market but may also accelerate the loss of cable users. It also affects the quality of programming and the amount of investment in local content, ultimately limiting the variety of content available to Taiwanese consumers. We thus make the following recommendations to the NCC:
2.1.1 Reconsider the channel renumbering and categorization proposal: According to a preliminary NCC plan, channel numbers will be changed from the current two digits to three-digit designations and be divided into eight categories/ blocks – statutorily mandated, variety, news, films, sports, drama/religion, shopping, and “other.” We believe that this plan would disrupt consumers’ viewing habits and eventually lead to the loss of more cable users, negatively impacting channel operators and disproportionately benefiting digital platform operators.
2.1.2 Improve communication and cooperation with channel operators: Channel operation involves many costs, and programs face severe market challenges. During the pandemic, film and television productions have fallen sharply. Instead of asking channel operators to provide details regarding program timetables (e.g., premiere, rebroadcast, etc.) or preparing to establish a new system for supervising premiere broadcasts as per a recent NCC plan, we recommend increased communication with the industry on how to meet the challenges of the post-COVID era and improve the industry’s capacity for high-quality broadcasting.
2.2 Relax regulatory requirements for satellite and cable TV: The NCC has long tended to control the cable TV industry with regulations and consistently encouraged cost reduction, which has led the industry to compete on cost and reduced its international competitiveness. In addition, channel operators face increasingly cumbersome evaluation and license renewal regulations. We recommend that the NCC refer to the practices of other countries in loosening and removing unnecessary controls, for example by ceasing requests that channels commit to increasing the ratio of premiere shows in their programming in order to be approved for renewal. We also recommend simplifying the license renewal process as much as possible. Doing so would improve transparency and reduce operating and administrative costs.
Suggestion 3: Maintain the current positive regulatory environment for OTT TV services.
Taiwan supports the development of a vibrant video-on- demand (VOD) and over-the-top (OTT) TV sector, which can provide consumers with a diverse array of services. The government’s current light-touch approach to regulating this sector has allowed VOD/OTT TV service providers to effectively invest, innovate, and compete. We encourage the government to maintain this approach, while partnering closely with local creative industries so that Taiwan can continue to be well positioned for success.
The government should place greater trust in industry to self-regulate, enabling the industry to demonstrate that a top-down approach is unnecessary. We encourage policymakers to work together with industry stakeholders to allow the creative sector in Taiwan to flourish, carefully calibrate conditions to support investment, and be mindful of the potential unintended consequences of protectionist policies. Heavy-handed measures such as requiring the disclosure of private business information or mandating certain proportions of locally produced content hamper innovation and growth opportunities, as do penalties for non-compliance with such measures.
For the past few years, Taiwan has sought to draft its own laws regulating OTT TV operators. However, industry is uncertain as to the goal the government hopes to achieve with such legislation and what policy gaps it seeks to fill that cannot be addressed through public-private partnerships and self-regulation. In the Committee’s view, no convincing reason has been given. Potential issues involving consumer protection and public-private partnerships can be effectively resolved with existing laws and other available means. In fact, most global companies already have safeguards and protocols in place to address potential harms and are working closely with local businesses with which they have creative synergy.
Win-win situations are still achievable with the current light- touch approach.
Taiwan’s film and VOD/OTT TV industry is brimming with potential. These companies make a significant economic contribution to Taiwan and have already played an important role in introducing Taiwanese content to the international market. To realize this potential, it is critical for Taiwan to have a business-friendly mindset and positive regulatory environment for OTT TV.
Suggestion 4: Modernize Taiwan’s Copyright Act for the digital era.
AmCham Taiwan members welcome the efforts by the Taiwan Intellectual Property Office (TIPO) to modernize Taiwan’s Copyright Act to account for the rapid development of digital technology while protecting the rights of creators and fostering continued investment in works that the public may legally enjoy. We are also encouraged by the government’s recently proposed amendments to the Copyright Act, which would help align it with the provisions of the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP). However, we are concerned that certain aspects of the draft amendments may potentially be out of step with international agreements and best practices.
First, the introduction of overly broad exceptions for use of copyrighted works leaves room for interpretation and creates uncertainty about how such works would be used. This in turn undermines the ability of creators and copyright owners to protect their rights and might increase the risk of piracy.
Second, the apparent relaxation of penalties for infringement sends a signal to potential violators that content protection is not a priority in Taiwan. We recommend maintaining the penalties to avoid such a perception and demonstrate Taiwan’s commitment to content protection.
Finally, we are concerned about the absence of important mechanisms such as no-fault injunctions to stem online infringement. We urge the inclusion of such mechanisms in the amended Copyright Act to encourage internet service providers (ISPs) to take steps to prevent access to infringing websites.
We additionally recommend that the Taiwan government consider prohibiting the sale of illicit streaming devices (ISDs) and associated software applications that offer access to pirated content. Such devices and APPs adversely impact the creative industry, taking away revenue that would have been reinvested into producing more quality content – including local content. Furthermore, they hinder the expansion and growth of legitimate digital transmission networks and detract from the contribution that the creative industry makes to government policy programs, including the tax revenues paid by legal enterprises. Illicit streaming also impacts consumers, whose access to pirate websites exposes them to the risk of malicious malware, including spyware and ransomware.
Chinese
委員會感謝台灣政府為支持台灣數位轉型所做的努力，包括制定 5G 政策及調整《著作權法》，以適應數位時代，我們也期待即將成立的數位發展部成為台灣數位轉型的動力。
數位時代對智慧科技政策（smart policy）的需求不斷增長。數位科技與技術創新使環境瞬息萬變，嚴格的監管或由上而下的政策，並非政府支持台灣數位轉型的最佳方式。相反的，為產業提供誘因、創造公平的競爭環境、鼓勵政府與產業間的自律與合作，以及就著作權等問題建立有效的法律措施，將是台灣成功的關鍵。
委員會提出以下建議，確保業界與政府持續合作，為電信及媒體業者創造一個有競爭力、具永續性、有韌性且安全的環境，以吸引國外投資、促進創新、加速數位轉型、最終造福整個台灣社會。
建議一：提升台灣 5G 應用與發展環境
台灣政府除以實現創新、包容、永續之智慧國家為目標，近期亦正式公布「台灣2050淨零排放路徑」，透過打造具競爭力、循環永續、韌性且安全之各項轉型策略，促進經濟成長、帶動民間投資、提升社會福祉及推動數位轉型。為達上述目的，健全與完善的通訊環境勢必是各產業數位轉型之關鍵。
委員會在去年的台灣白皮書也提出相關問題，然就相關議題似乎並無進展。因此，我們持續提出下述政策建議，建請主管機關鬆綁不必要之限制、訂定相關輔導措施並提供產業獎勵誘因，促成電信產業的永續發展，進而使電信網路業者成為台灣產業數位轉型的推手，加速台灣完成數位轉型。
1.1 建立輔導與獎勵機制
各項產業推動數位轉型勢必面臨風險，進而降低業者的投資意願。因此，委員會建議於數位發展部成立後，應盡速建立輔導與獎勵機制以鼓勵電信產業發展。此外，為確保產業擁有足夠資源，其編列預算應至少等同於行政院國家科學技術發展基金業務之預算數額。
1.2 促進市場公平競爭
無論是 B5G、6G 或是低軌衛星業者提供的通訊服務，亦或是專頻專網提供近似 5G 的垂直應用服務，均已與目前之電信服務業者產生競爭。然而，既有的監理機制仍對類似的服務採取不同的管制，實不利產業之公平競爭。因此，我們建議台灣政府應調整管制政策，以正確反映現況。舉例來說，提供近似電信服務之業者，均應適用《電信管理法》及相關法規。
1.3 強化電信產業競爭力
目前國際大廠紛紛進入台灣市場發展或尋求合作對象，其事業規模甚大於台灣的資通訊業者。台灣政府若要鼓勵資通訊業者投入 5G 創新應用服務，甚至與外商合作，以增加競爭力，實應提供更多資源。因此，委員會重申去年台灣白皮書之建議，政府應透過修訂《產業創新條例》及相關法規，延長可申請投資抵減優惠時間至十年，提高可申請投資抵減稅額至新台幣一百億元，以反映台灣產業現下之需求。
1.4 降低電信事業建設及營運成本
為友善且服務價格合理的先進網路環境是吸引國外投資的必要條件，而台灣的頻譜及網路建設成本之高，實不利此條件之成就。為提升台灣電信網路環境之競爭力與吸引力，政府應減收 4G 頻率使用費與免收 5G 頻率使用費。
此外，政府亦應修訂《促進民間參與公共建設法》及《獎勵民間參與交通建設條例》等規範，納入電信業者得享稅賦減免與融資之優惠，以及修訂《電業法》及相關法規，納入投入與公共建設、具公益性質、及弱勢團體之電信業者得享電費半價優惠或電費補貼。另，台灣政府於推動國產設備之使用時，應注意國產設備需符合國際標準及產業需求，以免阻礙產業之發展。
1.5 降低設置基礎建設之障礙
相較於低軌衛星、數位平台之布建相對容易，電信事業仍持續於不友善之困境中努力建 設。由於 5G 網路布建需要大量路桿、燈桿、電桿與公有建築物，建議台灣政府應制定中央與地方通用的「公共設施開放與使用標準」，設立跨中央與地方政府的協調機構，以單一窗口搭配全國明確且一致的申請程序與收費標準，以快速且有效的解決 5G 網路建設的障礙，增加台灣電信事業與及對外資與外商之吸引力。
1.6 依據市場實際需求規劃頻譜政策
5G 開台未滿二年，電信業者仍致力於建設及優化 5G網路，然所投入高額之 5G 頻率使用費及相關網路建設成本尚待提高用戶滲透率才能回收。就第二次 5G 頻率釋出之相關規劃，實不宜過急過早，應廣徵產業意見，以利政策符合市場發展及需求。另，若國際低軌衛星業者欲與電信業者持有的頻段共同合作，台灣政府應有促進與多方業者合作之配套措施，以利促進頻譜更有效使用。
1.7 鬆綁法規，促進數位經濟發展
為了實踐台灣的智慧國家目標，政府應鬆綁與數位經濟息息相關之個人資料保護法規，例如短期可透過沙盒或是國家標準去識別化機制，中長期則有賴修訂相關法規及訂定配套措施。
建議二：修改《有線電視法》及《衛星廣播電視法》，維持台灣競爭力
根據通傳會調查，2020 年我國有線電視訂戶數為 486.8萬戶，2021 年第 3 季我國有線電視訂戶數則為 476.8 萬戶，衛星及有線電視產業面臨多媒體平台挑戰，用戶數持續下滑。衛星與有線電視的規範應朝產官合作提昇有線電視內容環境的方向前進，為消費者帶來更好的服務，才是對台灣媒體產業環境最佳的思考路徑。委員會鼓勵通傳會考慮下述建議：
2.1 營造健全的產業環境
台灣有線電視產業生態複雜，經久已形成既定之市場運作模式，部分訂閱費用於支付現有基礎頻道的執照申請費用，剩餘資金則提供新進產業的業者。為了使產業維持穩定運作、產製優良節目並推動良性競爭，委員會敦請通傳會思考以產業輔導代替規管，日漸增多的管制措施不僅無益於有線電視市場發展，更可能加速使用者流失，影響節目品質和對在地內容的投資，最終影響可供台灣消費者選擇的內容多樣性。我們向通傳會提出以下建議：
2.1.1 重新思考頻道區塊化政策
根據通傳會初步規劃，有線電視頻道編碼將改為3 位數，區分為法定必載、綜合、新聞、電影、體育、戲劇／宗教、購物及其他等 8 大類（ 區塊）。此舉打破現有收視習慣將會造成更多使用者流失，直接衝擊長期經營的頻道業者，數位平台業者亦將獲得不成比例的話語權。
2.1.2 增進與頻道業者的溝通與合作
頻道經營必須投入大量成本，節目更要面對嚴峻的市場考驗。疫情使影視節目產製量能大減，通傳會與其透過檢討並管制頻道內容新播、首播以量化編播的細節，或計劃成立新首播監理觀測系統，應與業者共同討論如何面對後疫情時代的挑戰，提升整體影視產業高品質的製播能量。
2.2 放寬衛星與有線電視的規管要求
通傳會長期傾向規範及管制有線電視產業，且秉持成本降低的思維，使業者擁抱成本競爭的商業模式，進而缺乏國際競爭力。此外，頻道經營者尚須面對日漸繁瑣的評鑑與換照規範。委員會建請通傳會參考他國作法，鬆綁並解除不必要管制，如停止要求頻道業者承諾增加首播節目在其節目中的比例以獲准更新執照，並盡可能簡化換照審核流程，提高透明度，有效降低經營行政成本。
建議三：創造有利發展影音串流服務的法規環境
台灣支持蓬勃的隨選視訊（Video On Demand, VOD）與影音串流服務（OTT TV）產業，並提供消費者多元服務的選擇。政府現行的輕度管理模式讓業者有效地帶來了投資，產業創新與產業健康競爭等成效。委員會鼓勵政府持續維持輕度管理，同時與在地創意產業緊密合作，持續為台灣奠定成功的良好根基。
政府可以更加信任產業進行自律，讓業界示範無需由上而下管制的必要性。我們鼓勵政府與業界攜手合作，讓台灣的創意產業蓬勃發展，相關政策制定者應謹慎規劃促進投資發展的適當條件，並留意保護主義政策下可能帶來的意外後果。要求揭露非公開的商業資訊或相關配額、強制要求按比例製作本地內容等嚴厲措施，恐將阻礙創新和成長的機會。就這類強制措施建立罰則，也有悖常理。
過去數年，台灣持續研擬欲規範影音串流服務業者的草案。然而，業界反覆提出的疑問仍然未解：政府希望透過上述立法實現的目標為何？相關政策上哪些缺口是無法透過公私協力和產業自律補足的？諸多議題如消費者保護及在地夥伴關係等，皆得以有效透過既有法規與措施解決。事實上，多數全球性公司皆設有相關保障措施及準則以因應潛在危害，並與在地企業建立密切合作，以期發揮產業綜效。在政府最輕度的規管下，仍可產生雙贏的局面。
台灣擁有充滿活力的電影和隨選視訊／影音串流產業，富有潛力。相關業者為內容產業帶來重要且不斷增長的經濟貢獻，且就將台灣在地內容推廣到國際市場上扮演重要角色。如要完整實現這些潛力，台灣能否建立商業友好的心態和利於發展的監管環境，將極為關鍵。
建議四：更新台灣《著作權法》以因應數位時代
台灣美國商會成員感謝智慧財產局的努力，將台灣《著作權法》現代化以因應數位科技的快速發展，同時也保護創作者的權利，並促進對公眾可合法享受之作品的持續投資。我們也肯定政府近期為配合「跨太平洋夥伴全面進步協定」（Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership, CPTPP）而提出《著作權法》修正草案的努力。
然而，我們仍擔心修正草案的部分內容，有可能與國際協議及最佳做法脫節。
首先，就受著作權法保護的作品引入過於寬鬆的合理使用例外，可能會被廣義地解釋而帶來不確定性，削弱創作者和著作權人保護其權利的能力，亦可能增加盜版的風險。
其次，明顯放寬對侵權的處罰向潛在的違規者發出了一個訊號，即內容保護並非台灣政府優先事項。為避免類似認知，我們建議保留現有的處罰措施，亦可顯示台灣保護內容與著作權的承諾。
最後，我們擔憂缺乏重要機制，例如以無過錯禁制令遏止網路侵權行為。我們也鼓勵於《著作權法》修正草案中引入相關機制，鼓勵網路服務提供者（Internet ServiceProviders, ISPs）採取措施，阻止用戶訪問侵權網站。
另外，我們也建議台灣政府考慮禁止銷售非法串流裝置、及提供盜版內容的相關軟體應用程式。這類裝置和應用程式對創意產業造成負面影響，奪走本可重新投資於更多優質內容（包括在地內容）的收入。此外，他們亦減損合法數位傳輸網絡的擴展和增長，以及創意產業對政府政策方案的貢獻，包含合法企業貢獻的稅收。非法串流服務亦影響消費者，使其面臨惡意軟體的資安風險，包括間諜軟體及勒索軟體。
