Page 38 - 2022 OUTLINE OF THE MINISTRY OF THE INTERIOR REPUBLIC OF CHINA

I. Cooperative and Civil Associations Administration

To cooperate in the organizational transformation process of the central government, the Ministry
of the Interior (MOI) transferred the administration of social welfare affairs to the Ministry of Health
and Welfare (MOHW) on July 23, 2013, while the administration of the Social Associations Section,

Occupational Associations Section, Cooperatives Administrative Section, and Cooperative Enterpris-
es Counselling Section, which had been administered by the Social Welfare Department, MOI, was
centralized in the Cooperatives and Civil Associations Preparatory Office, MOI (hereinafter referred
to as the “Preparatory Office”) to take charge of the planning, implementation, guidance, and super-

vision of civil associations and cooperative enterprises nationwide. In accordance with the provisions
of the Farmer Health Insurance Act, the farmers’ health insurance business was transferred to the
Council of Agriculture of the Executive Yuan on November 1, 2018.

At present, the responsible authorities for civil associations and cooperatives are the MOI at the

central government level and the municipality and county (city) governments at the local level. How-
ever, the target business of these civil associations and cooperatives shall be under the guidance and
supervision of the responsible authorities of the respective target business.

In order to realize the MOI’s administrative goal of “promoting civil participation, thereby fulfilling the

spirit of democracy,” the Preparatory Office has devoted itself to strengthening relevant laws and reg-
ulations for civil associations in recent years. Its aim is to create a free civil society and assist cooperative
enterprises to promote regional revitalization, so as to achieve a balanced development of both urban and

rural areas. In 2021, due to the impact of the domestic COVID-19 situation, civil associations encountered
obstacles due to the risks brought by physical meetings and assembly. Following the guidance of the Cen-
tral Epidemic Command Center, the Preparatory Office permitted civil associations and cooperatives to
hold meetings via videoconferencing, assisting in the promotion of epidemic prevention measures by each
competent authority of the specific businesses, and further optimizing and promoting information system

functions, so as to collectively prevent the spread of the pandemic.

II. Civil Associations
Civil associations in Taiwan are classified into social associations, occupational associations, and

political associations (including political parties), where social associations and occupational associa-
tions can be established by registering after their initiators apply to the responsible authorities for civil

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