Publications – Newspapers / Magazines

Last Update on 05/05/2021

Publication of Newspapers and Magazines

General Information

In order to publish a local or foreign newspaper/magazine in the Republic of Cyprus, one needs to register to the Press and Information Office and obtain a certificate of registration and a permit for the publication in accordance with the Press Law.

For the purpose of the law, the term “newspaper” means every publication that aims at informing the public and is published daily or regularly at no more than once a month. The term also includes magazines and any publication published regularly at least once every four months.

In cases, the owner is a legal entity, a member of the board of directors of the company must be appointed as responsible for the publication of the newspaper/magazine. The permit is not transferable to another person or company.

No specific eligibility requirements exist.

In order to obtain a certificate of registration and a permit for the publication in the Republic of Cyprus, a statement made prior to the publication of a newspaper must be submitted either through the PSC Cyprus or by contacting directly the:

Press and Information Office
Apellis Street
1456 Nicosia, Cyprus
Tel. +357 22801151
Fax. +357 22666123
Email: epapadopoulou@pio.moi.gov.cy
Website: http://www.pio.gov.cy/

  1. The statement must be accompanied by the following documents:

    • Copy of affidavit signed before the District Court Registrar (with 2 stamp duty,1.71 euros each);
    • Copy of the owners’/shareholders’ passport;
    • Copy of the owners’/shareholders’ curriculum vitae;
    • Statement for the appointment of a member of the board of directors as responsible by law for the publication of the newspaper/magazine (only in case the owner is a legal person);
    • Copy of memorandum of the establishment of the company and the certificates issued by the Department of the Registrar of Companies and Official Receiver (only in case the owner is a legal person).

    In case the publication is in circulation abroad as a newspaper or magazine under the same title, any further owner in Cyprus of a newspaper or magazine bearing this particular title will have to secure the written approval of its foreign owner and supply the Press and Information Office a copy of the relevant agreement between the interested parties. Only under this condition will its registration in Cyprus be final.

Upon approval, the applicant needs to pay the following fees to the Press and Information Office:

  • A licence fee of €51,26 for EU nationals and €170,86 for non-EU nationals (either by cash or bank cheque).

The applicant can obtain reduced postal fees for delivering the newspaper/publication to subscribers by submitting the relevant statement and settling the fee of €8,54.

The company has the obligation to deliver to the Press and Information Office one signed copy of the above publication within three days from the date of each issue.

For Cypriot applicants or citizens of member state countries of the EU, the procedure of obtaining the registration permit takes a few days.

If the applicant is a non-EU citizen, the authorization decision is announced within 3 months from the date that the application form and the supporting documents were duly submitted.

The permit is valid for one year from the date of issue and is automatically renewed provided that the publication continues to be published on a regular basis.

Administrative Action Against a Competent Authority’s Decision

Any person may file an Administrative Action at the Administrative court against a decision, act or omission of any competent authority or body.

Pursuant to Article 146 of the Constitution, an Administrative Action may be lodged within 75 days from the date of the decision or act or omission or from the day when such decision or act or omission was notified to the applicant.

The Administrative Court acts as a cassation Court and not as a substantive Court. In other words, the Administrative Court may:
I. Dismiss the Administrative Action
II. Annul wholly or partially the contested decision or act
III. Compel the relevant authority or body to take a certain action

After a decision is annulled, the authority and/or public body must reverse things back to the state prior to when the concerned decision and/or act was executed and reexamine.

Appeal Information

An Appeal may be filed against the Administrative Court’s first-instance decision within a period of 42 days from the date such a decision was given.

At the Supreme Court (Court of Appeal Section) hearing, the contested issue of the appeal remains the legality of the decision or act already adjudicated. However, such a revision of the legality of the decision or act is solely examined on the matters and the extent that the two parties have limited the reasons in the relevant notice of appeal.

The decision adopted by the Supreme Court is considered final in relation to the matter that has been judged.

The licensed publishers are obliged to submit a copy of each publication to the Press and Information Office within three days from the date of publication. In the upper part of each page of each newspaper, the name and address of the owner/responsible by law and the location of publication must be shown.

The logo and the printing types used cannot be the same or similar in any way with those of international magazines already in circulation which contain the name of the publication for which the permit has been granted.

Cyprus Media Complaints Commission
The Cyprus Media Complaints Commission is an independent press council, responsible for the self-regulation of the news media, both written and electronic. It is entirely free from government interference or judicial supervision, ensuring that through self-regulation freedom of the press is maintained, standards of conduct are raised and the members of the public are given the opportunity to lodge their grievances against the media when they feel they have been offended. The Cyprus Media Complaints Commission was established in May, 1997 by the Association of Newspapers and Periodicals Publishers, the owners of private Electronic Media and the Cyprus Union o Journalists. The Cyprus Broadcasting Corporation, a self-governing organization operating under public law, acceded to the regulations governing the operation of the CMCC and the Code of Media Ethics six months later.

The Code of Practice defines the duties and rights of journalists and covers the following topics: Accuracy of information, the right of rebuttal, the right to privacy, conduct in Hospitals, human pain and grief, obtaining information by dubious means, copyright, bribe, presumption of innocence of suspects and accused people, sexual offences, protection of children, discrimination, reporting of financial news, professional privilege and public interest.

The press in Cyprus is a free and independent institution and is not subject to intervention or control by any state authority.

The freedom of the press is enshrined in the Cyprus Republic’s constitution which stipulates: «Every person has the right to freedom of speech and expression in any form. This right includes freedom to hold opinions and receive and impart information and ideas without interference by any public authority and regardless of frontiers».

The proliferation of newspapers in Cyprus – both Cypriot and foreign – reflecting a wide range of opinions and ideologies, attests to the plurality of views prevailing in the country and the freedom they enjoy. Criticism of persons in office, public figures, state institutions and government policies, and the freedom to expose malpractices where these occur, are accepted as a healthy manifestation of democracy.

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