• UOKiK has established cooperation with the Moroccan Ministry of Industry and Trade, which is responsible for consumer protection.
• The meetings took place from 17 to 21 February in Poznań and Warsaw.
• The aim of the project was to familiarise Moroccan experts with the Polish consumer protection system.

The Moroccan delegation consisted of experts from the Department of Consumer Protection, Market Supervision and Quality of the Ministry of Industry and Trade, which is responsible for monitoring compliance with consumer protection legislation, and a representative of the Competition Council, whose mission is to ensure fair competition and prevent monopolistic practices harmful to consumers.

The main objective of the TAIEX study visit was to familiarise the Moroccan delegation with the Polish consumer protection system and the practice of the Office for Competition and Consumer Protection (UOKiK), in particular the national and EU institutional and legal framework. The meetings were used to discuss examples of UOKiK's interventions in favour of consumers, including proceedings related to practices in e-commerce. One of the key issues discussed during the 5-day agenda was UOKiK's cooperation with other institutions involved in consumer protection in Poland. In Poznań, the guests visited the Trade Inspection and its Permanent Consumer Arbitration Court, as well as the office of the Municipal Consumer Ombudsman. In Warsaw, they met with representatives of the LexCultura Foundation, a non-governmental organisation that implements educational projects for children and young people on behalf of UOKiK.

The Moroccan experts also had the opportunity to familiarise themselves with the system of handling and managing consumer complaints, including cases submitted to the Office under the Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) system, as well as the activities of the European Consumer Centre Poland. The visit to UOKiK concluded with presentations on information and education activities and the international cooperation of UOKiK on consumer protection.

The study visit of Moroccan institutional representatives took place within the framework of the Technical Assistance and Information Exchange Instrument (TAIEX) funded by the European Commission. This is another event organised by UOKiK that contributes to the exchange of expertise and the development of international cooperation in the field of competition and consumer protection.