The Certification Officer is responsible for

  • Maintaining a list of trade unions and employers' associations
  • Receiving and scrutinising annual returns from trade unions and employers' associations
  • Determining complaints concerning trade union elections, certain other ballots and  breaches of trade union rules
  • Ensuring observance of statutory requirements governing mergers between trade unions and between employers' associations
  • Overseeing the political funds and the finances of trade unions and employers' associations
  • Certifying the independence of trade unions