Page 19 - FAIR TRADE COMMISSION 2023 ANNUAL REPORT

1.Strengthening Enforcement to Ensure Fair Market Competition
(1) Executing the Fair Trade Act and the Multi-level Marketing Supervision Act
The primary duty of the Commission is executing the Fair Trade Act and the Multi-level Marketing Supervision Act and making sanctions according to law when finding illegal activities in order to protect trading order. In 2023, the Commission received 2,337 cases (including 2,154 reported cases, 2 concerted action applications, 42 merger filings and 139 interpretation requests) and initiated ex officio investigations in 233 cases due to their critical impacts on the public interest and public concern. There were 2,570 cases in total. The Commission reviewed 2,805 cases and closed 2,549 cases. A case closure rate of 90.1% was achieved.
In 2023, 94 cases were confirmed as involving violation of the Fair Trade Act or the Multi-level Marketing Supervision Act. The Commission issued 126 dispositions/warning letters. The cases associated with false and misleading advertising formed the largest group, followed by those concerning practices in violation of the Multi-level Marketing Supervision Act. After deducting the cases with the sanctions revoked, the fines imposed in 2023 amounted to 337,450,000 NT dollars (the same currency applies hereinafter). Among all cases in violation of the Fair Trade Act, concerted actions are the most vicious and have been key targets in the Commission’s law enforcement. In addition, technology has been applied in recent years to make such cases more complicated, concealed and even internationalized, rendering the collection of evidence very difficult. Nonetheless, through their unceasing efforts, the staff members of the Commission successfully cracked down on a number of concerted actions involving telecom businesses, ready mixed concrete suppliers, snorkeling tour services, food companies, building appraisal services and medical institutions in 2023, fully exhibiting the courage and determination of the Commission to protect fair market competition.
Cases Processed in 2023 Unit: case
Types of Cases with Administrative Sanctions Imposed or Warnings Issued in 2023
Unit: case
Total
Ex Officio Investiga- tion Cases
Reported Cases
Concerted Action Applications
Merger Filings
Interpretation Requests
Received
2,570
233
2,154
2
42
139
Closed
2,549
248
2,116
3
46
136
Total
Monopo- lization
Merger
Concerted Action
Resale Price Restriction
Other Competition Restraints
False Advertis- ing
Deceptive or Obviously Un- fair Conduct
Illegal Multi-level Marketing
126
0
0
10
1
2
71
15
27
17
Important Achievements in 2023