Competences - Regional Inspectorate of Economic Activities

Regional Inspectorate of Economic Activities

The Regional Inspectorate of Economic Activities (IRAE) is responsible for monitoring the observance of laws, regulations, instructions, orders and other rules that regulate economic activities, carrying out its duties throughout the Autonomous Region of the Azores:

a) Prevent and deter economic and public health violations

;b) Supervise economic activities and the food sector with a view to protecting the quality and safety of goods, products and services, while regulating competition;

c) Initiate, investigate and decide on administrative offences within the scope of its legal powers;

d) Conduct enquiries into offences against public health and the economy under the legal provisions and for the purposes set out in the Code of Criminal Procedure;

e) Collaborate with national, Community and international authorities responsible for ensuring food safety in risk assessment and communication in the food chain, and with the coordinating authority for official food control;

f) Collaborate with national, Community and international authorities responsible for economic and non-food matters, drawing up, implementing and disseminating on a regular basis the market surveillance programme pursuant to Regulation EC no. 765/2008 of the European Parliament and of the Council of July 9;

g) Carry out in the Region the duties assigned to the Economic and Food Safety Authority (ASAE), except for those that concern it as a national entity, and the duties assigned to other regional public bodies;

h) Ensure compliance with the legal provisions on the acquisition of goods and services with a view to their proper distribution and use;

i) assist judicial authorities according to the legal provisions of the Code of Criminal Procedure;

j) Implement, in collaboration with other services under the administration of the Vice-President of the Regional Government, the measures to ensure the supply of goods, services, and essential intermediate and final products to the Region with a view to preventing stockpiling;

k) Disseminate the technical and legal rules regulating the various sectors of the economy whose supervision is assigned to this entity, collaborating, whenever necessary, with consumer associations, business associations, union organisations and economic operators;

l) Conduct studies aimed at the standardisation of administrative practices of the services subordinated to the Regional Government departments within the scope of their respective area of intervention, namely as regards licensing;
m) Propose preventive measures in its area of intervention;

n) Issue opinions on proposals for legislation with an impact on economic activities;

o) Prepare legal studies aimed at ensuring the consistency and rationality of legislation with an impact on economic activities.

The Regional Inspector of Economic Activities has the following responsibilities: 

a) Manage and coordinate the activity of IRAE, taking into consideration the general goals set out and the guidelines determined by higher decision-making levels;

b) Represent IRAE;

c) Ensure that the duties entrusted to IRAE are carried out in accordance with the law;

d) Determine the commencement and conduct of administrative offence proceedings within the scope of its competences;

e) Impose economic fines and ancillary penalties;

f) Determine the closure of administrative offence proceedings, within the scope of its legal powers, whenever it is found that the facts presented do not constitute an administrative offence;

g) Issue work orders and instructions necessary for the regular operation of services;

h) Carry out inspection duties;

i) Ensure cooperative relations between IRAE and similar national and international structures;

j) Submit the strategic plan of IRAE as well as the annual activity plan and report for approval;

k) Monitor compliance with the annual activity plan and evaluate the results achieved;

l) Ensure the management of human and material resources that are allocated to this service;

m) Manage and ensure the efficient implementation of IRAE budget;

n) Ensure the maintenance and development of the quality management system;

o) Ensure the management of the integrated information system;

p) Implement measures aimed at ensuring the supply of goods, services, and essential intermediate and final products to the Region with a view to preventing stockpiling;

q) Publicise the results of inspection, surveillance and investigation activities, without prejudice to the rules governing the secrecy of justice.