These are the two obligations most often confused. The Law wrote the distinction out expressly to prevent the confusion.
The Law's Own Answer
When Art. 2 of Legal Deposit Law No. 6279 sets the scope it says: copies given under Press Law No. 5187 and Printing Houses Law No. 5681 fall outside the scope of this Law.
Side by Side
| Issue | Press Law Art. 10 | Legal Deposit Law |
|---|---|---|
| Statute | Press Law No. 5187 | Legal Deposit Law No. 6279 |
| Under the duty | The printer | The person liable for deposit - a natural or legal person (Art. 3) |
| Number | Two copies, signed | Six - two for local and regional newspapers (Art. 8) |
| Where | The public prosecutor's office of the locality | The deposit libraries - the National Library and others (Art. 8) |
| Period | The day of distribution or publication | Fifteen days following reproduction (Art. 9) |
| Purpose | Registration and the start of the limitation period (Art. 26) | Archiving the cultural record |
| Sanction | A heavy fine - by a court (Art. 17) | An administrative fine - by the highest civil administrator, per copy (Art. 10) |
| Expense provision | None in the Law | Yes - the cost price is recorded as an expense (Art. 12) |
The Difference in Purpose Determines the Consequences
The delivery in the Press Law has a judicial function. Art. 26 shows it expressly: the periods for bringing proceedings run from the date the printed works were delivered to the public prosecutor's office - four months for daily periodicals and internet news sites, six months for other printed works.
Legal deposit is for cultural archiving: the work enters library collections permanently. That is why the target is libraries, not the prosecutor's office.
There Is a Third Obligation
The press card regime has its own delivery condition. Art. 15/g of the Press Card Regulation requires, for newspapers and magazines whose staff may be issued press cards, that one copy of each published issue be sent within five days of publication at the latest to the relevant regional directorate in the place of publication, and uploaded to DES.
| # | Obligation | Number | Period | Where |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Press Law Art. 10 | 2 | The same day | The public prosecutor's office |
| 2 | Legal Deposit Law Arts. 8-9 | 6 / 2 | 15 days | The deposit libraries |
| 3 | Press Card Reg. Art. 15/g | 1 | 5 days | The regional directorate + DES |
Why Is the Printing Houses Law Mentioned?
Alongside the Press Law, Art. 2 of Law No. 6279 also keeps copies given under Printing Houses Law No. 5681 outside the scope. That Law makes opening a printing house subject to a declaration and imposes duties on printing houses; we cover it in the printing house guide.
Practical Checklist
- Did the printer deliver two signed copies to the prosecutor's office on the day of distribution? Was a receipt obtained?
- Were the deposit copies sent within fifteen days? How many - six or two?
- Was one copy sent to the regional directorate within five days and uploaded to DES?
- If you are an internet news site, is the two-year archive kept with accuracy and integrity ensured? (Law No. 5187 Art. 10)
- Was the cost of the deposit copies recorded as an expense? (Law No. 6279 Art. 12)
Summary
- The delivery in Art. 10 of the Press Law and legal deposit are separate obligations, and Art. 2 of Law No. 6279 says so expressly.
- The first belongs to the printer, is made the same day in two signed copies to the prosecutor's office, and starts the limitation period.
- The second belongs to the person liable for deposit, is made within fifteen days to libraries, and its cost may be deducted.
- A third delivery arises from the press card regime.