Annual Report 2024 in English
In 2024, the Office focused on the effective exercise of its powers, consistent market monitoring, and transparent communication with the public, all in a period marked by the fading effects of inflationary pressures and structural challenges within the European economy.
One of the sectors receiving considerable attention from the Office last year was the agri-food industry. Analytical work continued, aimed at monitoring the competitive environment in specific market segments, particularly in the production and sale of sugar and butter. A new sector inquiry was launched into the production and off-trade sale of non-alcoholic beverages.
A significant part of the Annual Report is also devoted to legislative initiatives submitted by the Office in 2024. Among these is a draft amendment to the Act on the Protection of Competition, which would grant the Office new tools to intervene in markets that are not functioning efficiently, even in the absence of clear violations of competition rules.
In terms of its decision-making activities, the Office maintained a stable level of performance. It issued a total of 11 decisions on prohibited agreements, imposing fines exceeding CZK 340 million. Significant sanctions were imposed in cases involving vertical resale-price maintenance agreements by distributors of household appliances and pet food. The Office also devoted substantial attention to merger control. It issued 65 decisions in total, including 50 under simplified procedures and 13 under standard procedures, one of which advanced to Phase II. In two cases, mergers were approved conditionally upon the fulfillment of commitments aimed at preserving effective competition.
Supervision of public procurement remains one of the most closely monitored areas of the Office's mandate. In 2024, over 650 administrative proceedings were initiated and more than 1,680 decisions were issued, including 710 on the merits.
In the area of state aid, the Office played an important role, especially in managing notifications and negotiating with the European Commission on measures and support schemes — for example, for the construction of a new unit at the Dukovany nuclear power plant, combined heat and power generation, support for rental housing, and the operation of data mailboxes.
In the newly established agenda concerning access to transport infrastructure, the Office succeeded in stabilizing its expert team and issued over 300 decisions. These included, among others, the assessment and processing of the 2025 Railway Infrastructure Statement and the Plan for Capacity Restrictions.
Annual Report 2024 is available here
Press Unit of the Office
2025-08-05 / The Office Has Again Imposed Fines on Three Meal Voucher Issuers Totalling over CZK 279 million The Office for the Protection of Competition (hereinafter referred to as “the Office”) issued a first-instance decision to reimpose fines on meal voucher issuers, further specifying the exact reasons...
2025-07-14 / The Office for the Protection of Competition launched a reporting tool for anonymous and confidential reporting of suspected infringements of the rules laid down in the Act on the Protection of Competition Complaints submitted by the public are highly valuable source of information for the Office. They can help uncover illegal conduct, expedite investigations, initiate administrative proceedings, and ultimately...
2025-07-02 / Office Fines Major Cartel in Railway Construction Sector More Than CZK 150 million By its first-instance decision, the Office for the Protection of Competition has imposed fines totalling CZK 157,693,000 on six undertakings for a series of cartel agreements related to public contracts...
2025-06-12 / EUROMEDIA and PEMIC Concentration Approval Subject to Commitments, Acquirer is Obliged to Divest the Wholesale Distribution of Printed Books The Office for the Protection of Competition (hereinafter referred to as “the Office”) has approved the concentration of undertaking EUROMEDIA GROUP, a.s., PEMIC BOOKS a.s. and BOOKNET s.r.o. subject...
2025-06-10 / The Office Launches Sector Inquiry in the Area of Publicly Accessible Charging Stations for Electric Vehicles The Office for the Protection of Competition (hereinafter referred to as "the Office") has launched a sector inquiry into the area of publicly accessible charging stations. Specifically, it is examining...
2025-04-25 / New competition tools: the way to more efficient competition law enforcement Opening remarks of the Chairman of the Office for the Protection of Competition Petr Mlsna delivered at the Interanational Chamber of Commerce Czech the Antitrust Conference in Prague on 24 April 2025...
2025-04-22 / MIDs Competition Authorities: Strengthening Competitiveness and Competition in the EU Single Market The Czech Office for the Protection of Competition, together with the competition authorities of Belgium, Ireland, the Netherlands, Portugal and Austria, has issued a joint statement warning against...
2025-01-08 / Google Made Changes to one of its Services in Reaction to the Investigation of the Office Last year, the Office for the Protection of Competition investigated possible abuse of a dominant position by Google Czech Republic, s.r.o, its parent company Google International LLC and Google Ireland...