This type of advertising involves an advertisement, public announcement or information campaign in any media service or online platform by a public sector entity or its contractor that is carried out for a fee.
These provisions were added to Law No. 62/2022 on Advertising.
The new provisions regulate the obligation of both public sector entities and media service/online platform providers to publish annual reports on public advertising and public interest messages broadcast for a fee.
The State Procurement Agency will be responsible for monitoring state procurement procedures for such advertising and preparing an annual report on this issue.
Another provision concerns the planning and presentation of public sector communications. Thus, the entities will annually develop and approve a plan for the dissemination of messages of public interest, which must contain information on the significance, cost of production and dissemination, sources of funding, timing of implementation, as well as the means of communication used. The plan will be published on the website of the public sector entity.
At the same time, public announcements disseminated in the event of a state of emergency shall not be considered public advertising and shall be placed, promoted, published or distributed free of charge.
In addition, public advertisements promoting the achievements or objectives of public sector entities, as well as public interest messages not authorized by the CEC, are prohibited during the election period.
Law No. 62/2022 was amended by Law No. 220 of July 10 and published in the Official Gazette on August 1 of this year.
