By-law of the Market Supervision Council

Issued pursuant to Section 13 of the
State Administration Structure Law

1. The Market Supervision Council (hereinafter - the Council) is a consultative body the aim of which is to ensure exchange of information and opinions between market supervision institutions.

2. The Council shall have the following functions:

2.1. to evaluate the situation in the fields of regulatory enactments governing market supervision, co-operation between market supervision institutions and the allocation of competence; and

2.2. to provide recommendations with a view to improving the supervision and control programmes of market supervision institutions (except for the programmes of the Food and Veterinary Service) and the execution thereof.

3. The Council shall have the following tasks:

3.1. to submit to the Minister for Economics recommendations regarding the drawing up of market supervision related regulatory enactments;

3.2. to co-operate with the ministries and with other institutions, as well as with foreign supervision and control institutions in the field of market supervision;

3.3. to provide recommendations and consultations for the preparation of a working plan for market supervision;

3.4. to evaluate the implementation of the market supervision strategy;

3.5. to evaluate the testing possibilities in Latvia and in other countries and to provide recommendations with a view to developing testing possibilities;

3.6. to provide recommendations regarding the training of the staff of market supervision institutions and to co-ordinate the organising of training;

3.7. to provide recommendations with a view to enhancing co-operation and exchange of information between market supervision institutions; and

3.8. to provide information, by 1 June of each year, to the Minister for Economics regarding the activities in the field of market supervision in the previous year.

4. The Council shall have the following rights:

4.1. to invite experts and specialists, as well as representatives of non-governmental organisations of economic operators and consumers to take part in the meetings of the Council in an advisory capacity;

4.2. to require of and to receive from market supervision institutions free of charge the information necessary for the work of the Council;

4.3. to provide to the Minister for Economics recommendations regarding market supervision matters; and

4.4. to set up working groups in an advisory capacity for the evaluation of particular issues and for the preparation of proposals

5. The representative of the Ministry of Economics shall be the chair of the Council. The representative of the Consumer Rights Protection Centre shall be the deputy of the Chair of the Council. During the absence of the Chair, his or her duties shall be performed by the Deputy Chair of the Council.

6. The Council shall consist of one authorised representative from each of the following State authorities:

6.1. the Ministry of Economics;

6.2. the Ministry of Health;

6.3. the Ministry of Welfare;

6.4. the Ministry of Agriculture;

6.5. the Ministry of Transport;

6.6. the Ministry of Environment;

6.7. the Consumer Rights Protection Centre;

6.8. the Central Customs Board of the State Revenue Service;

6.9. the Excise Goods Board of the State Revenue Service;

6.10. the Sanitary Border Inspection of the Food and Veterinary Service;

6.11. the Health Inspectorate of the Ministry of Health;

6.12. [15 January 2008];

6.13. the State Labour Inspection;

6.14. the State Environmental Service;

6.15. the State Construction Inspection;

6.16. the Health Statistics and Medical Technologies State Agency; and

6.17. the State Assay Supervision Inspectorate.

[15 January 2008]

7. The Chair of the Council shall:

7.1. approve the agenda of Council meetings;

7.2. convene and chair meetings of the Council;

7.3. sign the minutes of the meetings, and other documents; and

7.4. take decisions regarding the engaging of experts, specialists, and representatives of economic operators and consumers into Council meetings.

8. The Chair shall convene the regular meetings not less than once every six months. The Chair of the Council shall convene special meetings at the initiative of not less than five members of the Council.

[15 January 2008]

9. Items for discussion may be included into the agenda of Council meetings at the initiative of the Chair of the Council or members of the Council, or at the initiative of economic operators, representatives of consumers, and other interested persons.

10. The Council shall have a quorum if not less than half of the members of the Council participate in a meeting thereof.

11. The Council shall take decisions by open ballot with a simple majority vote of the present Council Members. In the event of a tied vote, the vote of the Chair of the Council shall be the decisive vote.

12. Minutes shall be taken at Council meetings. The agenda and decisions taken, as well as the persons who participated, and the persons who spoke on the relevant item at the meeting shall be recorded in the minutes of the meeting.

13. The function of the secretary to the Council shall be performed by a representative of the Ministry of Economics who is assigned to this duty by the Minister for Economics.

14. The Secretary to the Council shall prepare Council meeting agendas and the documents to be considered, organisationally ensure the process of Council meetings, and forward the meeting agenda and the documents corresponding thereto not later than five days prior to the meeting.

15. Within a time period of seven working days subsequent to a Council meeting, the Secretary to the Council shall forward to all the Council members a copy of the minutes of the Council meeting, as well as forward Council decisions to all interested institutions and officials.

16. Cabinet Regulation No. 429 of 12 December 2000, By-law of the Market Supervision Council (Latvijas Vēstnesis, 2000, No. 454/457) is repealed.

17. Up to the time when the State Environmental Service referred to in Sub-paragraph 6.14 of these Regulations is established, a representative authorised by the State Environmental Inspectorate shall be a member of the Council.

Prime Minister I. Emsis

Minister for Economics J. Lujāns

Translation © 2008 Tulkošanas un terminoloģijas centrs (Translation and Terminology Centre)