Private announcement and advertisement prices are free — but announcing them and notifying them to the Agency is compulsory. Article 45 sets this out as three separate obligations.
The Full Text of the Provision — Art. 45/1
Newspapers and magazines are obliged to publish in their pages, to announce in the places where announcements and advertisements are received in their offices in a manner visible to all, and to notify in writing to the Press Advertisement Agency, at least 15 days before the start of those periods, the price tariff for the private announcements and advertisements they will apply, unless there is force majeure, in three-monthly periods beginning from the start of the calendar year, and the discount rates they will apply where those announcements and advertisements are published more than once.
Three Obligations
| Obligation | Where/How |
|---|---|
| 1. Publication | In the pages of the newspaper or magazine |
| 2. Announcement | In the places where announcements and advertisements are received in the office, in a manner visible to all |
| 3. Notification | To the Press Advertisement Agency, in writing |
Timing
| Element | Content |
|---|---|
| Period | Three-monthly periods beginning from the start of the calendar year |
| Deadline | At least 15 days before the start of the periods |
| Exception | Force majeure |
The Content of the Tariff
- The price tariff for private announcements and advertisements
- The discount rates to be applied where they are published more than once
The Obligation of the Agency — Art. 45/2
The Agency combines those lists for the newspapers and magazines into a single list according to their times of publication, such as daily or weekly, and to the alphabetical order of their names, and sends one copy each to the brokers and as many copies as necessary to its branches to be posted up. The brokers likewise announce those lists by posting them up in their offices in a manner visible to all.
| Step | Who | What they do |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | The newspaper/magazine | Publishes its tariff, announces it and notifies it to the Agency in writing |
| 2 | The Agency | Combines the lists according to the time of publication and alphabetical order |
| 3 | The Agency | Sends one copy each to the brokers and as many copies as necessary to its branches |
| 4 | The broker | Announces them by posting them up in the office in a manner visible to all |
Why It Matters: The Effect on the Invoice
Regulation Art. 27: all periodicals are also obliged, for private announcements and advertisements, to draw up an invoice over the amount remaining after the commission of the Agency has been deducted from the amount calculated over the tariffs they themselves determine.
We covered the detail in how the official announcement invoice is drawn up.
Where Another Person Pays the Fee
General Assembly Principle Decision 153 (17.11.2000): the Agency collects the fee from the persons and organisations that agree to pay it, over the private announcement and advertisement tariffs of the periodicals, and issues the invoice in their name. We covered the detail in the exceptions for private announcements.
Do Not Confuse It with the Official Announcement Tariff
| Criterion | Private announcement tariff | Official Announcement Price Tariff |
|---|---|---|
| Who determines it | The newspaper/magazine itself | The President, on the proposal of the General Assembly |
| Where it is published | The pages of the newspaper + the office + notification to the Agency | The Official Gazette |
| Period | Three-monthly periods | Determined by the decision |
| Basis | Law 195, Art. 45 | Law 195, Art. 39 |
We covered the official announcement tariff in how the official announcement price is determined and in the archive of official announcement rates.
Checklist
- Did you prepare it at least 15 days before the start of the period?
- Was the tariff published in the pages of the newspaper?
- Was it posted up in the place where announcements are received in the office, visible to all?
- Was it notified to the Agency in writing?
- Are the discount rates also included in the tariff?
- Are the invoices drawn up in accordance with the announced tariff?
Conclusion
Newspapers and magazines must publish in their pages, announce in the places where announcements are received in their offices in a manner visible to all, and notify in writing to the Press Advertisement Agency, at least 15 days before the start of the period, the price tariff for private announcements and advertisements they will apply in three-monthly periods beginning from the start of the calendar year, and the discount rates to be applied on repeat publication. The Agency combines those lists and sends them to the brokers and to its branches.