EZ WAY has recently resurfaced as a subject of public debate. The Ministry of Finance announced that the “Advance Authorization Confirmation” mechanism would be fully implemented beginning in March 2026. Express shipments without confirmation through EZ WAY will not clear customs and may even be returned to the sender. The announcement has prompted public concerns over operational inconvenience and customs clearance efficiency. In response, the Customs Administration under the Ministry of Finance stressed that EZ WAY is primarily intended to prevent customs declarations made under stolen identities, protect personal data, and improve clearance efficiency. It is not designed to benefit any particular business.
The real issue, however, is not whether EZ WAY should exist. It is whether Taiwan’s customs clearance system remains rooted in a decade-old regulatory mindset.
EZ WAY Is Well-Intentioned, and Real-Name Authentication Is Necessary
Meng-Chun Chen, an adjunct research fellow at the Center for International Trade Policy of the Chung-Hua Institution for Economic Research (CIER), said there is nothing inherently wrong with the original purpose of EZ WAY. Before the process was digitized, personal express imports relied primarily on paper-based authorizations. Consumers had to provide identification documents so customs brokers could process declarations on their behalf. This practice created persistent risks of personal data leaks and customs declarations made under stolen identities. EZ WAY replaces paper authorization with electronic consent and requires importers to personally confirm customs declarations. This represents meaningful progress in digital governance.
However, the need for such a system does not mean its current design is optimal. As cross-border e-commerce expands rapidly, low-value, high-frequency transactions involving multiple shipments have become commonplace. The current shipment-by-shipment authorization model requires consumers to reconfirm each declaration after receiving a notification. This can lead to notification fatigue, overlooked messages, operational inconvenience, and customs clearance delays. For frequent cross-border shoppers, repeatedly completing the same procedure also creates a significant administrative burden.
Making Consumers the Last Line of Defense Remains a Reactive Remedy
More importantly, EZ WAY may not have completely resolved the problem of customs declarations made under stolen identities. Some consumers have continued to receive customs declaration notifications for products they did not purchase. This indicates that the system still ultimately depends on the accuracy of the information submitted by customs brokers.
Chen said the current EZ WAY system effectively makes consumers the “last line of defense” by requiring recipients to identify irregularities and reject unauthorized declarations. Although this mechanism can mitigate some risks, it remains largely reactive. If the government genuinely wants to reduce identity fraud and inaccurate declarations, it should strengthen identity verification and data cross-checking at the source rather than continue increasing consumers’ confirmation responsibilities.
Customs Clearance Reform Should Shift from “Manual Processing” to “Risk Management”
Another concern is the allocation of administrative resources. Chen said that when competent authorities must devote substantial staffing to accounts, mobile phone number verification, customer service, operational inquiries, and irregular cases, resources that could otherwise support inspections of high-risk goods and border risk management may be diverted.
Internationally, major economies have generally moved toward data-first, risk-based models. Logistics providers, e-commerce platforms, or customs brokers submit electronic data in advance, allowing customs authorities to use risk analysis to determine whether inspections are necessary. Consumers generally do not need to intervene in the customs clearance process for every package. This does not mean EZ WAY is moving in the wrong direction. Rather, its design should better align with advances in digital governance and cross-border e-commerce.
True Digital Governance Should Make “Government Processes Almost Invisible” to the Public
Chen said the next phase of EZ WAY reform should go beyond improving the app’s interface or simplifying its operation. The government should rethink the system as a whole. Its real objective should be to balance border security, personal data protection, and customs clearance efficiency rather than make every consumer part of the customs process.
Future reforms should focus on data integration, interagency information cross-checking, intelligent risk analysis, and technology-enabled identity verification. Shipment-by-shipment confirmation should gradually give way to a system of “automatic clearance for low-risk shipments and targeted inspections of high-risk shipments.” Most consumers engaging in lawful cross-border purchases should barely notice the customs clearance process. Meanwhile, limited administrative resources should be concentrated on genuinely high-risk cases.
The reform EZ WAY truly needs has never been limited to the app itself. It requires reimagining what “digital customs clearance” should mean. If Taiwan aims to become a major hub for digital governance and cross-border trade, it cannot simply convert traditional paper-based procedures into electronic processes. It must use digital technology to redesign how the government interacts with the public. This should be the focus of the next phase of customs clearance reform.
Author: CIER Editorial Team
Date: August 20, 2026