25 Years Protecting Competition
The conference was attended by a number of distinguished guests, among others President of the Constitutional Court Mr. Pavel Rychetský, Minister for Regional Development Ms. Karla Šlechtová, Rector of the Charles University Mr. Tomáš Zima, Supreme Public Prosecutor Mr. Pavel Zeman, Director General of the Austrian Competition Authority Mr. Theodor Thanner and Chairwoman of Slovak Office for Public Procurement Ms. Zita Táborská.
Mr. Petr Rafaj opened the conference by a balance of the outcomes and successes achieved by the Office during the 25 years of its existence. He spoke about the development of each competence of the Office. In competition law enforcement the focus on bid rigging agreements will persist. However, the Office is going to concentrate also on new challenges, such as digital markets and the development of private enforcement. As regards public procurement supervision the Office will seek to sustain the shortened time limits for issuing decisions.
The importance of academic sector was stressed by the Rector of the Charles University. President of the Constitutional Court remembered the enactment of the first Czech competition act. Also the absence of successful constitutional lawsuit against the Office´s decisions was pointed out. Director General of the Austrian Competition Authority introduced the achievements of its agency and presented general principles of competition law and the independence of competition agencies. Common current and future challenges faced by competition agencies were also discussed.
The afternoon part was launched by the panel dedicated to public procurement award procedure supervision. Vice-chair of the Office for public procurement Mr. Josef Chýle opened the session by a short speech, among others, on the new act on public procurement. Minister for Regional Development Ms. Karla Šlechtová then described the drafting process of the new legal framework. Mr. Pavel Zeman consequently spoke about the cooperation of the Office with public bodies conducting the criminal proceedings. Chairwoman of the Slovak Office for Public Procurement presented the differences between Czech and Slovak public procurement legal framework and pointed out current challenges.
Following competition panel was initiated by I. Vice-chair of the Office for competition Mr. Hynek Brom who elaborated on the development of the most important institutes and procedures of the competition enforcement in the Czech Republic. Mr. Boris Gregor, Vice-chair of the Slovak Antimonopoly Office, remembered the common start of the development of Czech and Slovak competition law. Mr. Antonio Capobianco (OECD Competition Committee) presented the activities of the OECD in the competition area and the activity of the Office within the OECD. Mr. Filip Kubík (DG Competition) stressed mainly the significance of cooperation within the European Competition Network and the recent development of private enforcement of competition law.
Last session dedicated to state aid was led by Mr. Petr Solský, Vice-chair of the Office. Mr. Solský together with Ms. Petra Tabery (Ministry of Agriculture) mentioned that all state aid notifications have been successful so far for the Czech Republic and no recovery of unlawful state aid has been ordered. Ms. Lenka Kovačovská (Ministry of Industry and Trade) informed about current issues in the energy sector. Mr. Martin Fott (Permanent Representation of the Czech Republic to the European Union) accented the successful cooperation with the Office in the state aid area.
2023-06-28 / The Office has Published the English Version of Its Annual Report 2022 The Office for the Protection of Competition (hereinafter referred to as "the Office") has published the English version of its Annual report for 2022. In the publication you will find complete statistical...
2022-09-23 / Representatives of the Review Bodies on Public Procurement Discussed in Prague the Application of Sanctions and Exclusion of Suppliers On 23 September 2022, the 11th meeting of the Network of First Instance Review Bodies on Public Procurement took place in Prague as a part of the Czech Presidency of the Council of the European Union...
2022-07-29 / Annual Report 2021 The Office for the Protection of Competition (hereinafter referred to as “the Office”) publishes the English version of its Annual Report for the year 2021, during which it not only celebrated 30...
2022-04-20 / May 2022 Public Procurement Conference The Office for the Protection of Competition is preparing the first year of the May Conference on Public Procurement to be held on 18 and 19 May 2022. The conference will take place at the Brno headquarters...
2021-09-22 / The Office for the Protection of Competition commemorated 30 years of its existence at a celebratory conference The Office for the Protection of Competition (hereinafter referred to as ''the Office'') celebrated 30 years of its existence today with a celebratory conference held at the Liechtenstein Palace in Prague...
2021-09-01 / Annual Report of the Office for the Protection of Competition 2020 The Office for the Protection of Competition has published the Annual Report, summarising its notable activities in 2020 and outlining its agenda for 2021, the year in which the Office celebrates its...
2020-12-02 / Petr Mlsna Appointed as the Chairman of the Office for the Protection of Competition Petr Mlsna was appointed by the President of the Czech Republic, Milos Zeman, as the Chairman of the Office for the Protection of Competition on 1 December 2020
2020-10-07 / Chairman of the Office to resign on 1 December Peter Rafaj shall resign his position of the Chairman of the Office for the Protection of Competition with effect from 1st December 2020. Mr. Rafaj has already informed the President of the Czech Republic...
