Annual Report 2024 in English

The Office for the Protection of Competition has published the English version of its 2024 Annual Report.The Office operates in the areas of competition protection, oversight of public procurement, control of significant market power, supervision of access to transport infrastructure, and in the field of coordination, methodology, and advisory services related to state aid.

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