Government raises CNA fines / Sanctions for violating the Audiovisual Law can reach 440,000 lei

The Government has approved an update to the administrative fines imposed by the National Audiovisual Council for violating the Audiovisual Law. The new sanctions are calculated based on cumulative inflation from 2009 to the present and can reach 440,000 lei, government spokesperson Ioana Dogioiu announced on Friday.

For offenses provided for under Article 90, paragraph 2, fines will increase from 10,000–200,000 lei to 22,000–440,000 lei. The violations covered include the illegal broadcasting of media services, the use of subliminal techniques, disguised advertising, failure to respect the right of reply, unauthorized retransmission, and the provision of services without a license.

For offenses provided for under Article 91, paragraph 3, sanctions will increase from 5,000–100,000 lei to at least 11,000–200,000 lei, according to the Government’s statement. However, the explanatory memorandum indicates a maximum ceiling of 220,000 lei. These fines target failure to comply with legal obligations and with normative decisions issued by the CNA.

The update is permitted under Article 92 of the Audiovisual Law. The amount of the fines provided for under Articles 90 and 91 had not been changed since 2009.