The Proclamation No. 1278/2023 outlines comprehensive provisions regarding Television Registration and License Fees.
1. Obligation to Register and Pay Fees: Anyone owning a television set is required to register it and pay the stipulated television ownership and service license fee. The Corporation will establish a system for registering owners and issuing licenses, with the service charge payment guided by Article 18 of the Proclamation. If an individual owns multiple television sets, each one must be registered, and a separate fee paid for each.
2. Amount of Television Service License Fee: For every television set in use, the owner must pay an annual television ownership and service license fee of 120 Birr. The Board has the authority to amend this amount based on economic conditions through a directive.
3. Implementation of Fee Collection: For televisions in residential houses, payments can be collected monthly or annually through the Ethiopian Electric Utility. For televisions used in commercial establishments such as hotels, guest houses, pensions, cafeterias, and recreational centers, the enterprises must pay the annual fee in a single payment. Their business licenses will not be renewed unless they provide proof of payment confirming this duty has been discharged.
4. Inspection and Legal Accountability: Employees authorized by the Corporation to register televisions and examine records have the right to ascertain the existence of a television set at a trader’s, manufacturer’s, or owner’s house during working hours. Such inspections must comply with human rights provisions of the Constitution and, when necessary, require a court warrant. Traders, manufacturers, and television owners are obligated to cooperate with these authorized employees during inspections.
Civil Liability: Any television owner who fails to register their television or is unwilling to pay the fee will incur civil liability. Unless contrary evidence is presented, the minimum civil liability for non-registration and non-payment is calculated retroactively from when ownership was known. For residential use, this is 600 Birr per television for five years. For commercial use (hotels, pensions, guest houses, cafeterias, recreational centers, etc.), it is 840 Birr per television for seven years.
5. Penalties for Non-Cooperation: Failure to provide requested written evidence to an authorized employee investigating television registration or record-keeping is punishable with simple imprisonment ranging from one month to six months, or a fine between 500 Birr and 5,000 Birr. This punishment is applied based on a decision by the relevant justice organ following a complaint lodged by the Corporation.
6. License Renewal and Malfunctioning/Lost TVs: Licenses granted to television set owners are subject to renewal every five years. If a television set becomes non-operational due to malfunction, loss, or any other reason, the owner must report it to the Corporation for license cancellation. The Corporation will examine such reports within three months and issue a decision. The television owner is exempted from payment from the time they report the issue until a decision is made. However, if the Corporation’s inspection confirms the television is operational, the owner will be required to pay any arrears. If the owner does not report a problem with their television, they remain obligated to pay the annual service license fee.
7. Exemptions from Payments: Employees of the Corporation and those who retired after serving the Corporation are exempted from television ownership and service license fees for televisions used in their residential houses. The Chief Executive of the Corporation may also decide to exempt lower-income individuals from the fee based on international custom or agreement, or for public interest, with specific details to be determined by a directive.
8. Cooperative Agreements: To facilitate the implementation of these provisions, the Corporation will enter into cooperative agreements with the Ethiopian Electric Utility, Ministry of Revenue, Federal and Regional Trade Bureaus, and other relevant governmental and non-governmental partners.