• Are Kia cars sold in breach of competition law?
• President of the Office of Competition and Consumer Protection Tomasz Chróstny initiated a preliminary investigation into the matter, Office employees conducted searches at the locations of four companies, upon prior consent from the court.
• The alleged activities may have resulted in, among others, higher prices of vehicles.

Employees of the Office of Competition and Consumer Protection, assisted by the police, conducted searches at the addresses of four companies. These measures are related to the preliminary investigation instigated by Tomasz Chróstny, President of the Office of Competition and Consumer Protection. According to information provided by the Office, the Kia Polska company and dealers of this brand cooperating with the company could have concluded an agreement restricting competition.

- We suspect that there may have been unlawful arrangements concerning market-sharing, price-fixing and bid-rigging. I have decided to initiate a preliminary investigation and have searches conducted at the offices of entities that may be responsible for the arrangements. The offices have been searched upon the consent of the court and with police assistance. We are currently analysing the gathered material, it is undoubtedly of significant evidentiary value  – revealed President of UOKiK Tomasz Chróstny.

The preliminary investigation concerns the matter itself and is not directed against any particular entrepreneur. If the collected evidence confirms the suspicions, the President of the Office of Competition and Consumer Protection will initiate antitrust action and raise charges against particular entities. There is a penalty for participating in an agreement restricting competition of up to 10% of the turnover of the company. Managers responsible for entering into collusion may be fined up to PLN 2 million.

Severe sanctions can be avoided thanks to the leniency programme. It provides entrepreneurs participating in an unlawful agreement and managers responsible for collusion with an opportunity to avoid fines or have them reduced. This is an option available on the condition of cooperating with the Office of Competition and Consumer Protection as the "key witness" and providing evidence of, or information about, the existence of an unlawful agreement. Entrepreneurs and managers interested in the leniency programme are invited to contact the Office. At a dedicated telephone number 22 55 60 555, the lawyers of the Office answer all questions regarding leniency applications, including anonymous ones.

We would like to remind you that the Office also runs a programme of acquiring information from anonymous whistleblowers. Visit https://konkurencja.uokik.gov.pl/sygnalista/ and fill out a simple form.https://konkurencja.uokik.gov.pl/sygnalista/ The European system we use guarantees full anonymity, also towards the Office.

Additional information for the media:

UOKiK Press Office
Pl. Powstańców Warszawy 1, 00-950 Warszawa, Poland
Phone +48 695 902 088, +48 22 55 60 246
E-mail: biuroprasowe@uokik.gov.pl
Twitter: @UOKiKgovPL