Regulations regarding Paid Services for the Provision of Information

Issued pursuant to
Section 13, Paragraphs three and four of the
Freedom of Information Law and
Section 5, Paragraph nine of the
Law On Budget and Financial Management

1. These Regulations prescribe:

1.1. services for the provision of information, for which the institutions specified in Section 1, Paragraph four of the Freedom of Information Law shall collect a fee (hereinafter - paid service);

1.2. the amount of payment for paid services provided by institutions and cases where a private person has payment for a service reduced or is exempt from this; and,

1.3. procedures by which payment for paid services shall be performed.

2. These Regulations shall not be applicable to paid services for which payment is specified in laws, Cabinet Regulations or in associated local government regulations.

3. Paid services shall be as follows:

3.1. issuing of information from the archive of an institution;

3.2. the preparation and issuing of information from the databases of an institution; and,

3.3. the preparation and issuing of a copy or duplicate of documented information, if the amount of the relevant information is greater than 20 pages.

4. The paid services of an institution shall be provided in accordance with the price list (Annex).

5. Payment of paid services shall be exempt in the following cases:

5.1. if the information is being requested by:

5.1.1. disabled persons;

5.1.2. participants in the liquidation of the consequences of the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant accident;

5.1.3. pensioners, whose amount of pension does not exceed the minimum salary determined by the State;

5.1.4. private persons recognised as indigent;

5.2. if the information requested is necessary for the protection of the rights and interests of a child; or,

5.3. if a document of a private person has been lost in an accident or due to illegal actions.

6. The amount of the fee for paid services shall be reduced by 50%, if information is being requested by:

6.1. repressed persons; or,

6.2. guardians or trustees.

7. The private persons specified in Paragraph 5 and 6 of these Regulations shall have the fee reduced for paid services or be made exempt from it, if the person submits a copy of the relevant document certifying the status (presenting the original thereof).

8. Following the receipt of a substantiated submission an institution is entitled to take a decision regarding the reduction of the amount of the fee for private persons that are not specified in Paragraph 5 and 6 of these Regulations. An institution shall evaluate the financial situation of a private person and the necessity of the requested information for the protection of his or her lawful interests and take an appropriate decision.

9. If it is necessary to provide a private person with one paid service specified in the price list, the institution shall issue an invoice. If it is necessary to provide several services specified in the price list, the institution shall prepare an estimate.

10. A private person shall pay an advance payment in the amount of 100% of the amount specified in the invoice or estimate and shall submit to the institution a copy of a document certifying the advance payment (presenting the original). If following implementation of the service the actual costs differ from those indicated in the estimate, the amount of payment may be adjusted to the extent of 10%.

11. A private person shall pay for a service with the mediation of a credit institution or the mediation of another institution, who in accordance with regulatory enactments regulating the activities of financial institutions, has the right to open an account.

12. A private person shall receive a paid service following payment of the full cost of the service and the submission to an institution of the copy of a document certifying payment (presenting the original).

13. If a private person declines a service during its period of implementation, the institution shall suspend implementation of the service, prepare an estimate and from the amount of advance payment received for a service, shall cover the costs for works that have been performed until the date of discontinuation of service implementation. The remaining amount, that exceeds administrative expenses, shall be reimbursed into the account indicated by the private person, within a period of 10 days. If the advance payment does not cover the expenses associated with service provision, the institution shall issue an invoice to the private person within a period of 10 working days. If the advance payment exceeds the expenses associated with service provision, the institution shall within a period of 10 days reimburse the overpaid amount into the account indicated by the private person.

14. A private person shall pay the invoice specified in Paragraph 13 of these Regulations within a period of 20 working days following its receipt.

Prime Minister A. Kalvītis

Minister for Finance O. Spurdziņš

Annex
Cabinet Regulation No. 940
21 November 2006

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Price List for Paid Services Provided by Administrative Institutions of the State

Note. * In accordance with Section 2, Paragraph twenty two of the Law On Value Added Tax, value added tax shall not be applicable.

Minister for Finance O. Spurdziņš

Translation © 2007 Tulkošanas un terminoloģijas centrs (Translation and Terminology Centre)