MISSION
Ensuring consumer safety and trust in the Goldsmith Sector through the certification mark, by promoting an alliance between tradition and innovation.
THE HALLMARK THAT MAKES THE DIFFERENCE
The Assay Offices Mission consists of the following competences defined by Law:
To provide a public service to guarantee the type and fineness of articles of precious metal;
To certify professionals to perform the activities of precious metal melter-assayer technical managers and valuers of articles of precious metal and gemological materials;
To promote fair trading between economic operators and guarantee consumer protection.
Notwithstanding other powers conferred on them by law, the assay offices have the following exclusive powers:
Confirmation of common control marks or recognised fineness standard marks when requested to do so, or when required by law;
To assay and mark articles of precious metal by affixing assay office marks that guarantee the type and fineness of the respective precious metals, as well as the compliance of articles with statutory technical requirements applicable under the Legal Regime for Goldsmiths and Assay Offices (RJOC), to be placed on the market or to indicate specific situations provided for by law;
To approve the sponsor’s marks;
To approve the marking format of the sponsor’s mark in accordance with the RJOC;
To organise and update the electronic register of titles allowing economic operators in the precious metals sector to perform activities under the terms of the RJOC, of the respective sponsor’s marks and their duly approved marking formats;
To provide appraisal services of articles of precious metals under the terms of the RJOC;
To provide technical information on the possibility of legalising articles of precious metal;
To sit on technical and legal committees representing Portugal in international organisations and bodies related to the assay office activity, when instructed to do so by the government;
To supervise, support and decide on administrative offence proceedings relating to assaying, marking and issuing access titles for activities regulated by the RJOC, and the application of the respective fines and ancillary penalties.
