tilsynslover

Tilsynslover are laws that create and define the powers of public authorities to supervise and oversee activities, organizations, and individuals to ensure compliance with standards and legal requirements. They establish the framework for supervision, inspection, reporting, licensing, and enforcement, and specify the authority of inspectors to access information and take action when violations are found.

The scope of tilsynslover spans sectors where public protection or welfare is a concern, such as health care, social services, education, occupational safety, environment, and consumer protection. They typically authorize authorities to conduct inspections, review records, demand documents, interview staff, and monitor compliance on an ongoing basis. They may also establish licensing or registration schemes and require regular reporting or audits as a condition of operating.

Key provisions commonly found in tilsynslover include the powers of inspectors (entry and inspection), procedural rules for conducting checks, deadlines for corrective actions, and the range of enforcement measures (warnings, fines, orders to cease activities, or license suspensions). They also set out due-process rights for regulated parties, such as the right to notice, to present evidence, and to appeal decisions. Data protection and confidentiality rules are usually included to govern handling of information obtained during supervision.

Tilsynslover interact with wider administrative, civil, and criminal law and are often designed to be risk-based and proportionate to the severity and likelihood of non-compliance. In Nordic jurisdictions, the term is used in Danish and Norwegian texts to describe sectoral or general frameworks for public oversight.