• Protecting competition, promoting its development in accordance with the principles of openness and dialogue with market participants.
• Easier notification of suspicion of anti-competitive practices for anonymous whistleblowers and under the leniency programme.
• These are just some of the priorities of President of UOKiK. We recall them on the occasion of the World Competition Day.

- Competition protection is particularly important in the current economically challenging time which may create a temptation for entrepreneurs to conspire with their competitors or contractors and for market tycoons - to act to the detriment of their smaller trading partners. Therefore, we implement solutions that improve the performance of our tasks to prevent such practices and eliminate them efficiently from the market - says President of UOKiK Tomasz Chróstny.

More efficient obtaining of information

One of the priorities of the President of the Office is to obtain information on prohibited practices more efficiently. Especially as part of the programme for anonymous whistleblowers. Since 2020, i.e. the launch of a special platform facilitating notification of illegal activities to UOKiK, we have received nearly 2.5 thousand notifications, of which only this year - over a thousand. We would like to remind you that the system we have applied guarantees full anonymity towards the Office as well.

- The notifications we receive are the basis for eliminating unfair practices from the market, we thank very much for each of them. The notifications from current or former employees of companies involved in illegal arrangements are particularly valuable. We encourage you to share this type of information with us, including anonymously. Documents, e-mails or messages confirming illegal arrangements between entities may be helpful -– says President of UOKiK Tomasz Chróstny.

It is also important developing a leniency programme.  It offers to entrepreneurs involved in an illegal agreement and to managers responsible for price fixing an opportunity to reduce a fine or, in some cases, avoid it altogether.

Competition protection website

The website https://konkurencja.uokik.gov.pl/ was improved with a view to facilitate the process of obtaining information. Thanks to the new version of the website, the parties interested in contacting the Authority will find information on how to inform about anti-competitive practices or apply for leniency. Thanks to a simple description of prohibited activities, potential whistleblowers can easily find out whether their knowledge may prove useful for UOKiK. Only one click and a whistleblower will be transferred to the form with questions that will help them report illegal practices.

Dialogue with market participants

The Office will also focus on dialogue with entrepreneurs and their lawyers. Recently, representatives of law firms visited UOKiK and subsequent meetings of similar nature have been planned. Moreover, in recent weeks alone, in connection with the proceedings conducted, President of UOKiK met representatives of banks, teleshops as well as an industry association bringing together coal sellers. Openness does not mean indulging for practices that violate laws but serves to jointly develop practices that serve the market and consumers.

- In the current unpredictable change in economic realities and macroeconomic conditions, the role of antitrust authorities is particularly important. Our objectives remain unchanged and it is worth reminding them on the occasion of the World Competition Day. We protect competition, support its development, respecting the principles of openness and dialogue in relations with market participants- says President of UOKiK Tomasz Chróstny.

The World Competition Day has been organised on 5 December (since 2010) by the non-governmental Consumer Unity & Trust Society (CUTS International) and the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD).

Additional information for the media:

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