The activities of the majority of Czech businesses are supervised by the Czech Trade inspection from the consumer protection point of view. Simply put, the CTI check whether the goods sold and/or services provided by a business meet both the standards declared by the seller/provider and requirements stipulated by the Czech law (e.g. those relating to the safety standards of the products etc.). Also, the CTI has the authority to settle extrajudicial consumer disputes (of which we have informed you here). Nevertheless, a power, which may be deemed rather controversial in the Czech environment, may yet be granted to the CTI.
According to the currently debated amendment to the Act on Czech Trade Inspection, the Inspection officials might work under assumed (false) identity and use cover procedures (i.e. a false ID, documents preventing revealing the true purpose of their activities, or covering the activities of the CTI) in special cases and to the necessary extent. If the bill is adopted, the businesspersons will not know who they are dealing with and if their activities are being checked when the agreement is being negotiated (not even after an ID has been presented) as the identity of the inspector will only be revealed after they inform the businessperson mystery shopping has taken place.
The bill was approved by the Parliament on 9 June and is being debated by the Senate; if it is approved by both the Senate and the President, the expected date the new law becomes effective is 1 November, 2017.
