6. The charges for submitting a complaint, objection or appeal

6. The charges for submitting a complaint, objection or appeal

I. For consumers and church, ideological, charitable, cultural, scientific and other common benefit organizations and institutions established in the Netherlands:

There is no charge for submitting a complaint, unless:

• the chairman has set aside the complaint, and the complainant files an objection to this decision. In that case he is charged a fee of € 15 (*1)
• the complainant files an appeal to a decision of the Advertising Code Committee with the Board of Appeal. In that case he is charged a fee of € 30 (*2)
• the chairman considers that the complaint is submitted in the exercise of a business or profession or for the commercial interests of an organization. In that case, the tariffs set out below under II will apply mutatis mutandis.
• the abovementioned organizations or institutions received a request for financial contribution from the Advertising Code Authority (Stichting Reclame Code) and did not pay it. In that case, the tariffs set out below under II will apply mutatis mutandis.

(*1) If the objection is considered well-founded, the sum will be refunded.
(*2) In case the appeal is considered well-founded, the sum will be refunded.

 

II. For companies/organizations and individuals submitting a complaint, acting in a professional capacity and/or on behalf of their company

The tariff for submitting a complaint is € 1000, unless:

• it concerns companies that paid a financial contribution upon request of the Advertising Code Authority (Stichting Reclame Code), and whose contribution amounts to a minimum of € 1000 per year. In that case submitting a complaint is free of charge.
• it concerns companies that paid a financial contribution upon request of the Advertising Code Authority (Stichting Reclame Code) and whose contribution is less than € 1000 per year. In that case a €250 fee is charged for submitting a complaint.
• it concerns companies or organizations with fewer than 10 employees. In that case the costs for submitting a complaint are €250 for companies with up to 5 employees and €500 for companies with 5 – 10 employees.
• the complaint is submitted by a journalist. In that case a €100 fee is charged for submitting the complaint
• the tariff for filing an appeal with the Board of Appeal against a decision by the Advertising Code Committee is € 500*, unless it concerns:
• companies that paid a financial contribution upon request of the Advertising Code Authority (Stichting Reclame Code). In that case a €250* fee is charged for submitting a complaint.

* The fee charged for lodging an appeal will be used to cover the administration costs of the Advertising Code Authority (Stichting Reclame Code), even if the appellant withdraws the appeal after considering the statement of the opposing party. The advertiser does not have to pay a complaints fee for the handling of an objection against a Chairman’s Allowance.