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# Market Surveillance Authority

> The national authority designated by a Member State to check that products on its market comply with EU law, and to require corrective action when they do not.

## Definition

A market surveillance authority is an authority designated by a Member State under Regulation (EU)
2019/1020 to carry out market surveillance in its territory, with powers to require information,
inspect products, order corrective action and, where necessary, restrict or prohibit a product on
the market.

## Expanded Explanation

Each Member State designates one or more authorities and notifies the Commission of them. Their
powers are set out in Article 14 of Regulation (EU) 2019/1020 and include requiring documents and
information from economic operators, carrying out unannounced on-site inspections, acquiring product
samples including under a cover identity, and requiring the removal of non-compliant content from
online interfaces.

Authorities coordinate through the Information and Communication System on Market Surveillance and,
for products presenting a risk, through the Safety Gate rapid alert system. A finding in one Member
State is therefore visible to the others, which is why a single national challenge rarely stays
local.

Under the Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation, authorities are also the audience for
Digital Product Passport content. Where a product-specific delegated act requires a passport, the
information it publishes becomes directly checkable without a document request.

## Why It Matters

The authority is the counterparty in almost every enforcement scenario. Knowing which authority is
competent, what it may demand, and how quickly it may act determines how a compliance function
should hold evidence and who must be able to answer for it.

## Legal and Regulatory Context

Regulation (EU) 2019/1020 is the horizontal instrument. Product-specific law, including Regulation
(EU) 2024/1781, applies on top of it and can add duties, but does not replace the surveillance
architecture.

## Relationship to Adjacent Concepts

Market surveillance is the activity; the market surveillance authority is the body that performs it.
Conformity assessment happens before placing on the market; market surveillance happens after.

## Common Misconceptions

#### A market surveillance authority is the same as a notified body

A notified body is a conformity assessment body designated to perform assessment tasks before a
product is placed on the market. A market surveillance authority is a public enforcement body
acting after placement. They are different institutions with different powers.

## Related Terms

* [Market Surveillance](/docs/knowledge-base/glossary/market-surveillance)
* [Corrective Action](/docs/knowledge-base/glossary/corrective-action)
* [Withdrawal](/docs/knowledge-base/glossary/withdrawal)
* [Recall](/docs/knowledge-base/glossary/recall)
* [Notified Body](/docs/knowledge-base/glossary/notified-body)
* [Economic Operator](/docs/knowledge-base/glossary/economic-operator)

## Related Knowledge Base Articles

* [How Digital Product Passports Will Be Enforced](/docs/knowledge-base/regulations/how-digital-product-passports-will-be-enforced)
* [Who Is Legally Responsible for a Digital Product Passport?](/docs/knowledge-base/regulations/who-is-legally-responsible-for-a-digital-product-passport)

## Related Articles

* [Corrective Action](/docs/knowledge-base/glossary/corrective-action)
* [Market Surveillance](/docs/knowledge-base/glossary/market-surveillance)
* [Withdrawal](/docs/knowledge-base/glossary/withdrawal)
* [Recall](/docs/knowledge-base/glossary/recall)
* [Authorised Representative](/docs/knowledge-base/glossary/authorised-representative)
* [Conformity Assessment](/docs/knowledge-base/glossary/conformity-assessment)
* [EU Declaration of Conformity](/docs/knowledge-base/glossary/eu-declaration-of-conformity)
* [Harmonised Standard](/docs/knowledge-base/glossary/harmonised-standard)

## See Also

* [Regulations](/docs/knowledge-base/regulations/overview)
* [Governance & Assurance](/docs/knowledge-base/compliance-frameworks/overview)

## References

* Regulation (EU) 2019/1020 on market surveillance and compliance of products:
  [https://eur-lex.europa.eu/eli/reg/2019/1020/oj](https://eur-lex.europa.eu/eli/reg/2019/1020/oj)
* European Commission, Safety Gate rapid alert system:
  [https://ec.europa.eu/safety-gate/](https://ec.europa.eu/safety-gate/)
* Regulation (EU) 2024/1781 establishing a framework for ecodesign requirements:
  [https://eur-lex.europa.eu/eli/reg/2024/1781/oj](https://eur-lex.europa.eu/eli/reg/2024/1781/oj)

## About This Article

About This Article

<dl>
  <dt>
    Last Reviewed
  </dt>

  <dd>
    2026-08-09
  </dd>

  <dt>
    Next Scheduled Review
  </dt>

  <dd>
    2027-08-09
  </dd>

  <dt>
    Article Version
  </dt>

  <dd>
    1.0
  </dd>
</dl>

tieback Knowledge is a continuously maintained reference library covering Digital Product
Passports, product traceability, product compliance and related regulations. Articles are
reviewed regularly as legislation, standards and implementation guidance evolve.

## Related Docs

* [Regulations](/docs/knowledge-base/regulations/overview)
* [Digital Product Passports](/docs/knowledge-base/digital-product-passports/overview)
* [Glossary](/docs/knowledge-base/glossary/overview)