Polish Competition Research Articles

The Memoirs of Peasants, or the First Polish Folk Epic

In the 1930s, Ludwik Krzywicki, one of the founding fathers of Polish sociology and a continuator of scientific research based on the biographical method, led to the organization of three groundbreaking memoir competitions. These were competitions for memoirs aimed at the unemployed, emigrants and peasants. The last one, announced in 1933, was so popular among the peasant communities that it was decided to publish the memoirs in two volumes in 1935 and 1936. A year after the publication, the jury of the editorial office of Wiadomości Literackie decided to recognize it as a book of the year. This article aims to analyze the memoirs published in the collection as examples of the first emancipation statement of the peasant class made on such a large scale. Memoirs of Peasants are the only testimonials written down from the heart of the peasant class experience by the generation born in the second half of the 19th century, who often remembered the times of serfdom, years of partitions, fought on the fronts of World War I and suffered from the economic collapse of the Great Depression. The article demonstrates that the popularity of this competition contributed to the development of the phenomenon of Polish competition memoirs, which are estimated today at as many as 1500 organized competitions and about a million submitted memoirs.

CRIMINAL LIABILITY OF MANAGERS IN THE POLISH COMPETITION LAW – DEVELOPMENT AND THE PERSPECTIVE OF PROCEDURAL GUARANTEES

The article discusses the issue of legal liability of managers set out in the Polish competition and consumer protection law, resulting from the Act of 16 February 2007 on competition and consumer protection (Dz. U. (Journal of Laws) of 2021, item 275) (hereinafter: Competition Act). The starting point for my reflections is the provisions of the Competition Act providing for financial liability of persons in managerial positions for infringing prohibitions resulting from competition law (Article 106a of the Competition Act). In Polish law this type of liability is subsidiary to the liability of undertakings. It was also introduced to the Competition Act relatively recently, after the principles of undertakings’ liability for infringements of competition law had been formed and developed. My goal is to present the scope of managers’ liability and present conclusions resulting from the recent, still rather innumerable, case law of the Polish Competition Authority (President of Office for Competition and Consumer Protection, UOKiK). Due to the quasi-criminal nature of Article 106a, I propose my own reflections on the development of managers’ liability considering whether the law and judicial decisions recognize adequate standards of their rights.

Model sądowej kontroli decyzji z zakresu ochrony konkurencji w prawie polskim

The article concerns the issue of the intensity of control of the decisions of the Polish competition authority by the Court of Competition and Consumer Protection. Control in this respect refers to the criteria of both legality and rationality, as well as purposefulness and proportionality of the authority's interference in the legal sphere of the entity. The main aim of the study is to verify the research thesis. The Polish model of judicial review ensures a high standard and effectiveness of judicial protection, even exceeding the standard resulting from both the case law of the Court of Justice of the European Union and the European Court of Human Rights. The conducted research allowed us to conclude that both of the above hypotheses are true.

Hearing Officers in competition proceedings conducted by the European Commission for the implementation of Article 101 and 102 TFEU

The article analyzes the role played by the Hearing Officer in competition proceedings conducted by the European Commission to implement Article 101 and 102 TFEU. Currently, the Hearing Officer is a guarantor of the effective exercise of procedural rights in the course of all competition proceedings before the EC, while contributing to the objectivity, transparency and efficiency of the proceedings. The article also discusses the proposals to change the scope of the powers of the Hearing Officer, as reported in doctrine and literature, and refers to the possibility and legitimacy of introducing such institution into Polish competition law.

Poland ∙ The Polish Competition Authority Launches the New Technologies Unit

Poland ∙ The Polish Competition Authority Launches the New Technologies Unit

Economic analysis of the firm’s boundaries and the limits of competition: The case of Nord Stream 2 AG

Using publicly available information, the article examines the economic concepts, which underlie the arguments of the decision of Polish competition authority UOKiK in relation to the participants of the Nord Stream 2. It explains the interrelation between economic and legal concepts, which are to be applied to interpret the competitive impact of joint venture and probable theory of harm for infrastructure investments under competition law of European Union, including in comparison with Russian competition law. It has been demonstrated that the resolution of a consortium case should be based on the proof of two statements. The first statement implies that the joint venture is a firm (and therefore the creation of a joint venture is a deal leading to economic concentration). The second statement means that despite Gazprom adopted the commitments about decision of the European Commission and trends in the development of the European gas market, the possibility of price discrimination is retained. Discussion and contestation of the decision against PJSC Gazprom testify in favor of maintaining the relevance of institutional studies and studies of industry markets for resolving legal disputes arising from the application of competition law.

Od inspiracji do plagiatu – o przejawach i problemach postawy odtwórczej. Refleksje jurorów konkursu uczniowskiego

With 15 years of experience, the jurors of a Polish student competition entitled Footpaths of Physics present their views on the copycat approach manifested by the contestants. The cases discussed are analysed in order to discover the reasons and results of such an attitude – connected to the competition itself, as well as to more general psychological and societal phenomena. The paper may be treated as a set of clues for people engaged in judging the work of students – such as teachers – but also for anyone working with exceptionally gifted or ambitious students.

Konkurs „Pamiętniki Pandemii”. Założenia, wyniki, wstępne refleksje

Pandemia koronawirusa okazała się wyjątkowym wydarzeniem i jako taka domagała się udokumentowania. Artykuł omawia dokumentację czasów pandemii, jaką autorki zgromadziły dzięki ogłoszeniu w marcu 2020 roku konkursu pamiętnikarskiego „Pamiętniki Pandemii”. Przedstawiono w nim założenia metodologiczne konkursu, podstawowe dane socjodemograficzne o autorach tekstów konkursowych oraz wstępne wyniki analizy nadesłanych pamiętników. Konkurs zainteresował przede wszystkim kobiety (w stosunku 80 : 20), mieszkańców dużych miast oraz osoby z wyższym wykształceniem. Autorzy pamiętników dokumentowali historyczny moment zagrożenia epidemicznego częściowo według powtarzalnych wzorców, do których należały między innymi odnoszenie się do decyzji administracyjnych, relacje bieżącego życia politycznego czy opis społecznych „symboli” pandemii (maseczek, hasła #Zostańwdomu oraz obrazu pustych półek sklepowych). W konkursie odnotowano znaczący udział pamiętników pisanych w celach terapeutycznych.

Protection of Unregistered Distinctive Signs within Unfair Competition Law: the Polish Perspective

Abstract The protection of unregistered distinctive signs is essentially non-standardised at the international and EU level. The purpose of this paper is to provide an overview of the legal framework relating to the protection of trade names, unregistered trade marks and geographical indications from the perspective of Polish law in which protection of unregistered distinctive signs is predominantly available based on unfair competition law. The analysis takes account of the respective EU legislation, notably the Unfair Market Practices Directive and its impact on combatting unfair competition caused by use of distinctive signs under Polish law, as well as interactions with the national and EU legislation in other areas such as trade mark law and the protection of registered designations of origin and geographical indications. Comparative remarks are occasionally included. The paper also examines the issue of the nature of civil law protection of unregistered distinctive signs under Polish unfair competition law, which is the subject of divergent views among Polish scholars. With regard to the perplexing question of whether provisions of unfair competition law could constitute a basis for distinguishing exclusive rights to unregistered distinctive signs or whether they provide ‘merely’ tortious protection that does not presuppose the existence and infringement of such rights, this paper puts forward arguments in support of the latter qualification.

Odpowiedzialność przedsiębiorcy za niedostarczanie informacji i dokumentów na żądanie Prezesa UOKiK – kilka refl eksji po decyzji w sprawie Engie

The article contains an analysis of the solutions adopted in the Polish legal system governing the procedure for requesting information and documents by the President of the Office of Competition and Consumer Protection (President of UOKiK). In the first part of the article, the author discusses the basic standards that should be met by a request of the UOKiK, with regard to the scope of the request and its purpose, taking into account, in particular, the guidelines which follow from EU case-law. The author considers the scope of the obligation under Article 50 Section 1 of the Act on Competition and Consumer Protection (the Act), criticizing the solution that makes it impossible in practice to challenge the demands of the President of UOKiK without a risk of exposure to severe financial sanctions. The proposals for amendments of applicable regulations are also discussed, the aim of which would be to provide business undertakings with an adequate standard of protection of their fundamental rights in connect in with the procedure for submitting information and documents requested by the President of UOKiK. The second part of the article is devoted to issues concerning financial penalties for a breach of the obligation referred to in Article 50 Section 1 of the Act. The author discusses the current legal framework and indicates the need to introduce certain legislative changes in the future. The analysis also covers the practice of the Polish competition authority to impose penalties for a breach of the obligation under Article 50 Section 1 of the Act

Obowiązek notyfikacji zamiaru utworzenia wspólnego przedsiębiorcy

Przedmiot badań: Obowiązek notyfikacji zamiaru utworzenia wspólnego przedsiębiorcy Preze­sowi UOKiK w świetle przepisów ustawy o ochronie konkurencji i konsumentów budzi liczne wątpliwości interpretacyjne, których nie można rozwiązać poprzez analogię do zasady przyjętej w rozporządzeniu Rady (WE) nr 139/2004. Oba rozwiązania istotnie się różnią zarówno w zakresie przedmiotowym, jak i podmiotowym.
 Cel badawczy: Celem opracowania jest zbadanie konstrukcji prawnej i przesłanek obowiązku notyfikacji zamiaru utworzenia wspólnego przedsiębiorcy funkcjonującego w obu reżimach praw­nych i ocena zasadności rozwiązań przyjętych w prawie polskim. W artykule przyjęto hipotezę, że obowiązek zgłoszeniowy w świetle przepisów ustawy o ochronie konkurencji i konsumentów (uokk) został sformułowany zbyt szeroko. Art. 13 ust. 2 pkt 3 uokk wymusza bowiem konieczność zgłoszenia wspólnych przedsiębiorców niestanowiących formy koncentracji i jest oderwany od obowiązującej w prawie unijnym zasady wspólnej kontroli wspólnego przedsiębiorcy, którego utworzenie stanowi stan faktyczny koncentracji.
 Metoda badawcza: W celu weryfikacji przyjętej hipotezy badawczej zastosowano metodę analizy aktów prawnych oraz decyzji Komisji Europejskiej i Prezesa UOKiK. Do analizy rozporządzenia Rady (WE) nr 139/2004 oraz przepisów uokk wykorzystano także metodę formalno-dogmatyczną, a także metodę prawno-porównawczą.
 Wyniki: W artykule wykazano, że funkcjonujący w prawie polskim obowiązek zgłoszeniowy jest sformułowany zbyt szeroko, gdyż obejmuje wspólnych przedsiębiorców, których utworzenie de facto nie spełnia przesłanek koncentracji.

The Consistency of Polish Competition Law with ICN Recommendations – the Example of the Merger Notification Obligation

The Consistency of Polish Competition Law with ICN Recommendations – the Example of the Merger Notification Obligation

Służba publiczna wobec umiędzynarodowienia administracji (na przykładzie administracji antymonopolowej)

The article aims at presenting the connection between growing international cooperation of public administration in relation to organization and functioning of public service. The presentation is made with the example of the antimonopoly administration. It begins with a short description of the legal basis of international cooperation of the Polish competition authority. It is followed with a short overview of different modes of this cooperation on global, European and bilateral levels. Despite extensive international cooperation of the Polish competition authority, its internal organization is rather inefficient and fails to deliver relevant input from the international cooperation into internal works of the authority. Similarly, civil servants of the competition authority are not offered to rise their skills in relation to foreign cooperation as well as there are no transfers between jurisdictional departments and the department for the international cooperation which keeps those departments separated.

A refusal to grant access to a grid within the provision of crude oil transfer services as an example of a prohibited abuse of a dominant position in the EU and Polish competition law

Aim: The paper discusses cases in which a refusal by an energy enterprise to connect other enterprises to the network is treated as a prohibited abuse of the enterprise's dominant position and, equally, will represent behavior prohibited by art. 12 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union and by art. 9 par. 2 item 2 of the Competition and Consumer Protection Law as well as legal consequences of such refusal. It is important to pinpoint such cases since the EU sectoral regulation does not provide for obligating any undertakings which manage and operate oil pipelines to enter into contracts with other undertakings such as contracts on connecting into their network or contracts on providing crude oil transfer services. Conditions for accessing oil pipelines and selling their transfer capacities are determined by the owners of the networks: private oil companies in the countries across which the pipelines are routed. These conditions are not governed by the EU law. Furthermore, the very obligation of connecting other entities to own network by energy undertakings operating in the oil transfer sector in Poland will only arise from generally applicable provisions of the Polish competition law. Design / Research methods: The purpose of the paper has been reached by conducting a doctrinal analysis of relevant provisions of Polish and EU law and an analysis of guidelines issued by the EU governing bodies. Furthermore, the research included the functional analysis method which analyses how law works in practice. Conclusions / findings: The deliberations show that a refusal to access the network will be a manifestation of a prohibited abuse of a dominant position and will be a prohibited action always when the dominant's action is harmful in terms of the allocation effectiveness. It will be particularly harmful when delivery of goods or services objectively required for effective competition on a lower level market, a discriminatory refusal which leads to elimination of an effective competition on the consequent market, a refusal leading to unfair treatment of consumers and an unjustified refusal. Originality / value of the article: The paper discusses the prerequisites which trigger the obligation to connect entities to own network by energy undertakings operating in the oil transfer sector. The obligation has a material impact on the operations of the oil transmitting undertakings, in particular on those who dominate the market. The regulatory bodies in the competition sector may classify a refusal of access to own network by other enterprises as a prohibited abuse of the dominant position, exposing such undertakings to financial consequences.Implications of the research: The research results presented in the paper may be used in decisions issued by the President of the OCCP and in judgement of Polish civil courts and EU courts. This may cause a significant change in the approach to classifying prohibited practices to prohibited behavior which represent abuse of the dominant position. The deliberations may also prompt the Polish and EU legislator to continue works on the legislation.

Polish model of judicial review of decisions taken by the President of the Office of Competition and Consumer Protection

Aim: The research effort in the aspect of a model of a court control of a decision issued by the President of the Office for Competition and Consumer Protection is predominantly supported by significance and importance of applicable legal solutions in practice. The research was aimed at evaluating the model of court control of decisions of the OCCP President. Design / Research methods: Due to the scope of the research covered by the author, the core research methods is the dogmatic method. Because of the theoretical and legal nature of the considerations, the main method used in the research was the method of analytical and dogmatic legal research method. Conclusions / findings: The research shows that it is a complex process to assess the effectiveness of the model for court control of the OCCP President's decisions which is used, in particular in terms of ensuring full and effective guarantee and protection of entrepreneurs' rights. One should agree that the arguments raised by both proponents and antagonists of transformation of the applicable legal solutions seem justified. Observations from two systems: the model of a control exerted by common court and administrative courts in the context discussed in the paper leads representatives of case law to formulating justified demands for changing the existing model. Originality / value of the article: The unique nature of competition and consumer law cases is expressed in the hybrid nature of the proceedings run before the OCCP President and, later on, before common courts. The legislator determined the particular procedure for verifying the governance forms of the impact of the President, which is particularly justified by the nature of competition and consumer protection cases and classifying them formally to civil law cases. Proceedings before the competition and consumer protection court is the first instance proceedings with the purpose of recognising the technical aspects of the case in the light of the civil law provisions. The deliberations presented in the paper clearly lead to the conclusion that submission of the decisions made in competition protection cases to the control of common court is decisive for its scope and applied criteria and, except for legality, criteria such as usefulness, applicability or efficient management are also applied by court. Implications of the research: The deliberations presented in the paper may contribute to initiate works on the transformation of the model for controlling decisions of Polish competition bodies by court.

Poland ∙ Polish Competition Authority Exercises New Powers under the Act on Combating Unfair Use of Contractual Advantage

Poland ∙ Polish Competition Authority Exercises New Powers under the Act on Combating Unfair Use of Contractual Advantage

The Consistency of Polish Competition Law with ICN Recommendations – the Example of the Merger Notification Obligation

Określenie prawnego obowiązku zgłaszania koncentracji jest kluczowym elementem systemu kontroli koncentracji. Regulacja ta wskazuje jakie koncentracje podlegają obowiązkowi ich zgłoszenia do organu antymonopolowego oraz na jakim przedsiębiorcy ten obowiązek spoczywa. Międzynarodowa Sieć Konkurencji (ICN) stanowiąca wirtualną sieć organów konkurencji stworzyła serię wytycznych w jaki sposób należy konstruować obowiązek zgłoszenia koncentracji w prawie krajowym. Przedmiotem analizy są jedynie regulacje materialnoprawne, zaś regulacje procesowe pozostają poza przedmiotem analizy. Celem artykułu jest porównanie wytycznych ICN z przepisami polskimi. Zidentyfikowane zostaną pola spójności i rozbieżności pomiędzy regulacjami polskimi i wytycznymi ICN. Wyniki przeprowadzonych badań mogą stanowić dobrą podstawę do dalszego rozwoju i doskonalenia polskiego systemu kontroli koncentracji. Przeprowadzona analiza wzbogaci również dotychczasowe badania dotyczące wpływu ponadnarodowych sieci organów administracji na krajowy porządek prawny i praktykę organów administracji publicznej.

Europeanisation of the Polish Leniency Programme

Leniency programmes in competition law make it possible to grant immunity from fines, or a reduction of any fine that would otherwise have been imposed on an undertaking who was a party to an unlawful agreement restricting competition. This immunity or fine reduction is granted as a reward for the cooperation with the competition authority and the provision of evidence of an unlawful agreement restricting competition. Legal rules regarding the application of leniency programmes have been introduced at the EU level as well as in the national legislations of numerous countries, including Polish law. The author makes an attempt to establish the degree to which the Polish leniency programme is an effect of the impact of EU law or the application of law within the EU (for instance, by its institutions). The analysis has been made on three levels. Examined first was the degree to which the Polish leniency programme is a result of spontaneous harmonisation. Second, the impact of legislative harmonisation in the area of leniency programmes was taken into consideration. Finally, it was verified whether those Polish authorities that apply Polish competition law are inspired by judgements issued by EU courts in cases regarding leniency programmes.

Porozumienia ograniczające konkurencję w polskim prawie konkurencji

Porozumienia ograniczające konkurencję w polskim prawie konkurencji

“Anti-competition agreements” and legal options to pursue claims for damages before common courts

Aim: In the article the situation is discussed where the refusal by an energy supplier to connect other companies to join the network, will be treated (in Poland and the EU) as a prohibited abuse of a dominant position by this company. The identification of such practices is important because EU sectoral legislation does not contain specific provisions requiring companies managing and operating oil pipelines to conclude agreements with other companies to join their networks or to deliver oil.Design / Research methods: The aim of the article was achieved through doctrinal analysis of the relevant Polish and EU law and by analyzing guidelines issued by EU bodies. In the study, also functional analysis is applied, allowing to examine the functioning of the law.Conclusions / findings: Access to oil pipelines and the sale of their transmission capacity are determined by the network owners themselves. These owners are private oil companies, not being regulated by European Union law. The obligation to connect other entities to its own network by power transmission companies in Poland results only from the general provisions of Polish competition law. It is shown that refusal to access the network is a manifestation of prohibited abuse of dominant position, which is prohibited whenever the dominant activity is detrimental to allocation efficiency. In particular this concerns the case when the supply of goods or services objectively necessary for effective competition on the market in general is denied, and leads to the elimination of effective competition in the market and/or harm to consumers.Originality / value of the article: The article discusses the reasons for the legal obligation for energy companies involved in the transmission of crude oil to connect other companies into their own network. This obligation significantly influences the business conducted by the transmission companies.Implications of the research: The presented research results are useful for assessing decisions issued by the President of UOKiK (the Polish Office of Competition and Consumer Protection) and in the judgments of Polish common courts and EU courts.