The Press Card Regulation does not give a fixed number of days for an application to be concluded. What determines the time is the meeting schedule of the Press Card Commission.
The Commission Meets at Least Three Times a Year
Under Article 34/1 the Commission meets in ordinary session at least three times a year on the Directorate's convocation, subject to force majeure. It may also meet extraordinarily where needed — on the Directorate's own motion or on the written request of an absolute majority of the members.
The Agenda Is Finalised Five Days Before
Article 35/1 sets a cut-off: the applications to be considered at a meeting are finalised at least five days before the meeting date and made available to Commission members electronically. A file completed inside those five days will not make that meeting.
The Stages
| Stage | Who | Time / note | Article |
|---|---|---|---|
| Electronic application | Applicant | Photograph + 6-month professional service document | Art. 28 |
| Approval of the declaration | Owner or authorised person | — | Art. 28/2 |
| Initial review, requests to institutions | Directorate | No period specified | Art. 29/1 |
| Refusal of those not meeting the conditions | Directorate | Applicant notified | Art. 29/2 |
| Referral of the file to the Commission | Directorate | — | Art. 29/3 |
| Finalising the agenda | Directorate | At least 5 days before the meeting | Art. 35/1 |
| Commission meeting | Commission | At least 3 ordinary meetings a year | Art. 34/1 |
| Decision and minutes | Commission | Refusal reasons annexed to the minutes | Art. 35/5 |
Quorum
Article 34/2 provides that the meeting is held with the participation of at least thirteen members. If the quorum is not met at the first meeting, a second is held within thirty days at the latest, and — except for the meeting to elect the chair — no quorum is required at the second meeting.
This shows that failing to reach a quorum can extend the process by a further month.
Remote Participation Is Possible
Under Article 34/3, meetings may also be held remotely, provided sound and image are transmitted together. Making proposals, expressing views and voting remotely produce all the legal consequences of physical attendance.
How Decisions Are Taken
Article 34/4: decisions are taken — except at the meeting to elect the chair and deputy chair — by an absolute majority of the members attending. Abstention is not permitted. In the event of a tie, the decision follows the side on which the chair — or, in the chair's absence, the deputy chair — sits.
Cases Not Requiring a Commission Decision
In some situations the process is shorter. The Regulation allows the Directorate to issue a card without a Commission decision in the following cases:
- Renewal of the card where the holder starts work during a free-card period (Art. 37/3)
- A request for a replacement card because of loss or wear (Art. 45/4)
- Renewal of a card whose validity has expired (Art. 47)
Bottom Line
There is no fixed period in the Regulation. The Commission meets at least three times a year, the agenda is finalised at least five days before the meeting, and the meeting is held with at least thirteen members. If the quorum fails, a second meeting is held within thirty days. Renewals and replacements do not require a Commission decision.