The ROC signed the two Covenants in 1967, but failed to ratify and store them after being expelled from the UN. In order to be in line with the international human rights system and improve the ROC's practices of protecting human rights, former President Ma Ying-jeou announced the Act to Implement the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights on April 22, 2009, and ratified the two Covenants on May 14, 2009. The Act to Implement the two Covenants entered into force on December 10, 2009. According to Article 2 thereof, the two Covenants have domestic legal status; when exercising their functions, government bodies at all levels shall confirm to human rights protection provisions in the two Covenants, avoid violating human rights, protect the people from infringement by others and positively promote realization of human rights; all laws, regulations, directions and administrative measures incompatible to the two Covenants shall be amended after the Act enters into force by new laws, law amendments, law abolitions and improved administrative measures.
Act to Implement the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights