Who We Are & What We Do

The Czech Trade Inspection Authority (CTIA) is an administrative government institution which falls under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Industry and Trade of the Czech Republic. The Director General of the CTIA is appointed by the Minister of Industry and Trade. The CTIA was established under Act No. 64/1986 Coll., The Czech Trade Inspection Authority Act. The CTIA is a successor to the former State Trade Inspection. It consists of the Central Inspectorate and Regional Branch Inspectorates, whose headquarters are found in major regional cities.

The CTIA monitors and inspects businesses and individuals, who supply goods to, or sell goods on, the Czech market, provide services or similar activities on the domestic market, provide consumer credit, and operate marketplaces, unless, as a result of special legislation, these activities fall under the authority of another administrative institution.

The Czech Trade Inspection Authority audits and enforces:

  • Compliance with guidelines that ensure the quality and safety of goods and products (excluding foodstuffs), including health-related safety, and the regulation of their storage and transport;
  • The use of properly calibrated and certified measuring instruments used by vendors (wherever applicable) including the measuring instruments’ compliance with relevant regulations, technical standards and proper certification;
  • Legal compliance and compliance with other relevant regulations for specific services and activities;
  • Proper mandatory labelling and required certification of products to be introduced to the Czech market, including their compliance with relevant technical requirements, etc.;
  • Product safety for products to be introduced into the Czech market;
  • Legal compliance during the negotiation of consumer credit (unless the particular case falls under the jurisdiction of the Czech National Bank).

The scope of the Czech Trade Inspection Authority to audit and enforce is defined and delimited by the following Acts:

  • No. 64/1986 Coll., the Czech Trade Inspection Authority Act;
  • No. 634/1992 Coll., the Consumer Protection Act;
  • No. 22/1997 Coll., on technical requirements for products;
  • No. 102/2001 Coll., on general product safety;
  • No. 477/2001 Coll., on packaging;
  • No. 201/2012 Coll., the Air Protection Act;
  • No. 311/2006 Coll., on fuels;
  • No. 379/2005 Coll., on measures to protect against the damage caused by tobacco, alcohol and other addictive substances;
  • No. 353/2003 Coll., on excise taxes;
  • No. 145/2010 Coll., on consumer credit;
  • No. 189/1999 Coll., on emergency oil stocks;
  • No. 253/2008 Coll., on some measures preventing the legalization of proceeds from crime and the financing of terrorism;
  • No. 56/2001 Coll., on the conditions for operating vehicles on public roads;
  • No. 247/2006 Coll., limiting the operation of pawnshops and certain other establishments at night; and
  • No. 185/2001 Coll., on wastes;
  • No. 73/2012 Coll., on substances that deplete the ozone layer and fluorinated greenhouse gases;
  • No. 226/2013 Coll., on placing timber and timber products on the market;
  • No. 307/2013 Coll., on the compulsory labeling of spirits;
  • No. 156/2000 Coll., on control of firearms, ammunition and pyrotechnics, and on manipulation with certain pyrotechnic products;
  • No. 255/2012 Coll., the Control Act.

Penalties
The Czech Trade Inspection Authority may, in some cases, impose fines of up to 50 million CZK for violations of laws committed by the audited subject.  For minor violations, CTIA inspectors may impose immediate fines of up to 5,000 CZK.  This also applies to private individuals selling either produce from small farms or forest-harvested crops.

In addition to fines, the CTIA also imposes bans on the sale of products, or their introduction onto the Czech market, if these products do not comply with Czech regulations.

The Czech Trade Inspection Authority DOES NOT INSPECT the quality of foodstuffs, prepared meals and tobacco products. The CTIA only regulates the correct sale of such products and services (e.g. selling the item/service for the correct declared price).  The quality of food products is regulated and enforced by the Czech Agriculture and Food Inspection Authority.

The health and safety of foods of animal origin, as well as the prevention of dangerous infections and their carriers in the Czech Republic come under the jurisdiction of the State Veterinary Administration of Czech Republic.

The enforcement of the restrictions and obligations defined by the laws and regulations for the protection of public health, including workplace health and safety, is carried out by various public health protection authorities.

For more information
Information about the Czech Trade Inspection Authority can be found on its web pages by visiting www.coi.cz/en/.

The Czech Trade Inspection Authority also provides consumers with a free information and advisory service, during regular business hours, at each of the Authority’s offices.

Information for the media is provided, in accordance with Act No. 46/2000 Coll., by the official CTIA spokesperson.

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