Poland

UOKiK is headed by a President appointed by the Prime Minister. It has investigative, decision-making, and sanctioning powers. Regional offices in nine cities assist with enforcement.

Article 6 of the 2007 Act prohibits horizontal cartels. UOKiK has pursued significant cases in cement, banking (interchange fees), chemicals, and public procurement bid-rigging.

Vertical restraints prohibited under Article 6. Active enforcement against resale price maintenance in electronics, food, and consumer goods sectors. Hub-and-spoke arrangements scrutinised.

Article 9 prohibits abuse of dominant position (presumed at 40% market share). Significant cases in energy (incumbent operators), telecoms, and rail transport.

Mandatory pre-notification for concentrations exceeding EUR 50 million combined worldwide turnover or EUR 10 million combined Polish turnover of the target group. Two-phase review with remedies powers.

Full immunity or reduced fines under the 2014 leniency provisions. Extended to cover personal liability. Leniency Plus programme provides additional reduction for disclosing separate infringements.

Voluntary submission to a penalty (settlement) procedure under Article 89a for a 10% fine reduction. Commitment decisions under Article 12 to close cases with binding undertakings.

Fines up to 10% of worldwide turnover. Since 2014, personal fines up to PLN 2 million (approx. EUR 460,000) for managers who intentionally allowed the infringement. No criminal sanctions for antitrust.

UOKiK applies general competition rules to digital markets and has investigated online platforms. Poland has transposed the EU DMA. No additional national digital markets legislation.

UKE (telecoms), URE (energy), UTK (rail), KNF (financial supervision), and ULC (civil aviation) exercise concurrent sector-specific regulatory powers.

UOKiK conducts searches (przeszukania) with court authorisation. Powers include access to premises, document seizure, electronic data copying, and interviewing witnesses.

Private damages actions available following transposition of the EU Damages Directive (2017 Act on claims for damages for infringements of competition law). Regional courts have jurisdiction.

Active in ECN, ICN, and OECD. Bilateral cooperation with other CEE authorities. Regular participation in ECN joint investigations and sector inquiries.

Focus on online platform practices, food supply chain fairness (unfair trading practices), energy market monitoring, and increased use of personal liability provisions against managers.