The Czech Trade Inspection Authority is a state administration body subordinate to the Ministry of Industry and Trade that supervises the sale of products and services to consumers.
The Czech Trade Inspection Authority (ČOI) is a state administration body subordinate to the Ministry of Industry and Trade of the Czech Republic. It inspects businesses that offer, sell or place products on the market or provide services.[1]
Establishment and organisation
ČOI was established by Act No. 64/1986 Coll., on the Czech Trade Inspection Authority, and is the successor organisation of the State Trade Inspection. It is headed by a central director, appointed by the Minister of Industry and Trade in accordance with the Civil Service Act. The inspection is divided into a central inspectorate and subordinate inspectorates based in seven regional cities.[1]
Scope of competence
It carries out supervision to the extent laid down by laws on, among other things, consumer protection, technical requirements for products, conformity assessment of products, market surveillance of products, general product safety, packaging, air protection, fuels, payment systems, waste, pyrotechnics, prices and opening hours in retail and wholesale trade.[1] It also supervises, for example, the placing of timber and timber products on the market, the mandatory marking of alcohol, emergency oil stocks, excise duties and restrictions on the night-time operation of pawnshops.[1]
Sanctions and measures
For violations of these laws ČOI imposes sanctions in administrative proceedings, usually fines. For the most serious offences the rates allow a fine of up to CZK 50 million. For less serious violations inspectors may impose a fine of up to CZK 10,000 on the spot, if the inspected person agrees. This also applies to natural persons selling products of their own small-scale animal or crop farming, or forest produce.[1] Besides fines, the inspection imposes protective measures, typically bans on the sale or placing on the market of hazardous products or their withdrawal from the market.[1]
What the inspection does not inspect
ČOI does not inspect the quality of food, meals and tobacco products. It deals with them only from the standpoint of fair trading, for example correct charging of the price, or restrictions on sales to certain groups of consumers, for example persons under 18. Supervision of the quality of food products is carried out within its competence by the Czech Agriculture and Food Inspection Authority, and supervision of the health safety of food of animal origin by the State Veterinary Administration of the Czech Republic.[1]