Article 4
Designation and powers of the competent authorities
1.
Member States shall designate one or more competent authorities to carry out the functions and duties provided for in this Directive and in Regulation (EU) 2019/2033. The Member States shall inform the Commission, EBA and ESMA of that designation, and, where there is more than one competent authority, of the functions and duties of each competent authority.
2.
Member States shall ensure that the competent authorities supervise the activities of investment firms, and, where applicable, of investment holding companies and mixed financial holding companies, to assess compliance with the requirements of this Directive and of Regulation (EU) 2019/2033.
3.
Member States shall ensure that the competent authorities have all necessary powers, including the power to conduct on‐the‐spot checks in accordance with Article 14, to obtain the information needed to assess the compliance of investment firms and, where applicable, of investment holding companies and mixed financial holding companies, with the requirements of this Directive and of Regulation (EU) 2019/2033, and to investigate possible breaches of those requirements.
4.
Member States shall ensure that the competent authorities have the expertise, resources, operational capacity, powers and independence necessary to carry out the functions relating to the prudential supervision, investigations and sanctions set out in this Directive.
5.
Member States shall require investment firms to provide their competent authorities with all the information necessary for the assessment of the compliance of investment firms with the national provisions transposing this Directive and compliance with Regulation (EU) 2019/2033. Internal control mechanisms and administrative and accounting procedures of the investment firms shall enable the competent authorities to check their compliance with those provisions at all times.
6.
Member States shall ensure that investment firms record all their transactions and document the systems and processes which are subject to this Directive and to Regulation (EU) 2019/2033 in such a manner that the competent authorities are able to assess compliance with the national provisions transposing this Directive and compliance with Regulation (EU) 2019/2033 at all times.