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SOI ›SOI

Slovak Trade Inspection

The Slovak Trade Inspection is, according to the Act No. 128/2002 Coll. on State Control of Internal Market in the Consumer Protection Issues, an authority of internal market surveillance; it is independent in its inspection and decision-making activities.

The Slovak Trade Inspection is the authority of the state administration. It is a non-profit making organisation, funded by the state budget in the chapter of the Ministry of Economy of the Slovak Republic. The structure consists of the Central Inspectorate of the Slovak Trade Inspection with the seat in Bratislava and its subordinated inspectorates of the Slovak Trade Inspection, namely:

  • The Inspectorate of the Slovak Trade Inspection with the seat in Bratislava for the region of Bratislava
  • The Inspectorate of the Slovak Trade Inspection with the seat in Trnava for the region of Trnava
  • The Inspectorate of the Slovak Trade Inspection with the seat in Trenčín for the region of Trenčín
  • The Inspectorate of the Slovak Trade Inspection with the seat in Nitra for the region of Nitra
  • The Inspectorate of the Slovak Trade Inspection with the seat in Žillina for the region of Žilina
  • The Inspectorate of the of the Slovak Trade Inspection with the seat in Banská Bystrica for the region of Banská Bystrica
  • The Inspectorate of the Slovak Trade Inspection with the seat in Prešov for the region of Prešov
  • The Inspectorate of the Slovak Trade Inspection with the seat in Košice for the region of Košice

At present the Slovak Trade Inspection is headed by the director general who is appointed and withdrawn by the Economy Minister of the Slovak Republic. The regional inspectorates are headed by directors who are appointed and withdrawn by the director general.

The Inspectorate is the body of the first instance in the administrative procedure.

The scope the Slovak Trade Inspection’s powers:

1. The Slovak Trade Inspection inspects/controls internal market according to § 2 and according to special regulations (Act No. 250/2007 Coll. on Protection of Consumers and on changes and amendments to Act No. 372/1990 Coll. on offences)  

2. The Slovak Trade Inspection carries out the internal market surveillance of natural persons and legal persons, who sell or supply the products to the internal market or provide services:

  • uncovers short-comings at the execution of the inspection/surveillance according to the paragraph 1,
  • requires to eliminate the detected short-comings and harmful effects, imposes protective measures for their elimination, 
  • controls the fulfilment of the measures for elimination of detected short-comings,
  • ensures tests for verification of the safety and quality of products,
  • informs the public on unsafe products found on the market, which pose a risk to their life and health,
  • makes use of the information of other bodies and responds to complaints consumers,
  • imposes fines.

3. as for the market surveillance the Slovak Trade Inspection is entitled to:

  • deliver binding measures for elimination of the detected short-comings,
  • require the inspected persons to submit necessary information and papers,
  • require products to be labelled with appropriate danger warnings if the products pose any risk,
  • ban the supply and sell of products or provision of services,
  • order the effective and immediate withdrawal of the product from the market, and if necessary, also its destruction at expense of the inspected person, order the publication of danger warnings if pose danger to consumers´ lives, health or their property.