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# Market Surveillance

> The activities carried out by national authorities to check that products on the EU market comply with applicable law, and the powers they hold to act when products do not.

## Definition

The activities carried out and measures taken by national market surveillance authorities to
ensure that products comply with applicable European Union requirements and do not endanger
health, safety or other public interests, as governed by Regulation (EU) 2019/1020.

## Expanded Explanation

Authorities operate in each Member State and may request documentation, take samples, inspect
premises, require corrective action, restrict or prohibit sale, order withdrawal or recall, and
apply penalties set by national law. Their findings are shared across the Union through the
Information and Communication System on Market Surveillance and, for dangerous products, the Safety
Gate rapid alert system.

Digital passports change the mechanics of surveillance. Product data that previously had to be
requested from a company becomes readable directly from the product, which allows automated and
comparative checking at scale, including at the point of import. Regulation (EU) 2024/1781 also
anticipates a registry supporting authority access to passport identifiers.

Requests are addressed to the economic operator responsible for the product in the Union, which is
another reason the role must be correctly assigned before products ship.

## Why It Matters

Under a passport regime, an inconsistency between the published passport and the technical file is
discoverable without an inspection. Data accuracy becomes an enforcement surface, so publication
processes need the same controls as regulatory documentation.

## Common Misconceptions

#### Surveillance only applies to physical inspections

Authorities may act on remotely readable information, including online listings and passport data,
and they cooperate across borders on findings from other Member States.

## Related Terms

* [Economic Operator](/docs/knowledge-base/glossary/economic-operator)
* [Conformity Assessment](/docs/knowledge-base/glossary/conformity-assessment)
* [Product Traceability](/docs/knowledge-base/glossary/product-traceability)
* [Digital Product Passport](/docs/knowledge-base/glossary/digital-product-passport)

## Related Knowledge Base Articles

* [Who Needs a Digital Product Passport?](/docs/knowledge-base/digital-product-passports/who-needs-a-digital-product-passport)
* [What Is a Digital Product Passport?](/docs/knowledge-base/digital-product-passports/what-is-a-digital-product-passport)

## Related Articles

* [Corrective Action](/docs/knowledge-base/glossary/corrective-action)
* [Market Surveillance Authority](/docs/knowledge-base/glossary/market-surveillance-authority)
* [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, Official Journal of the European Union:
  [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>
    2026-08-07
  </dd>

  <dt>
    Next Scheduled Review
  </dt>

  <dd>
    2027-08-07
  </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)
* [Governance & Assurance](/docs/knowledge-base/compliance-frameworks/overview)
* [Digital Product Passports](/docs/knowledge-base/digital-product-passports/overview)
* [Glossary](/docs/knowledge-base/glossary/overview)