Office For Competition And Consumer Protection

The President of the Office of Competition and Consumer Protection (UOKiK) is a central authority of the state administration. The President of the Office is responsible for shaping the antitrust policy and consumer protection policy. The primary antitrust instrument used by the President of the Office are proceedings concerning competition restricting practices, i.e. abuses of a dominant position and prohibited agreements (cartels). The President of the Office is also authorised to control mergers in order to prevent situations where as a result of a merger a dominant entity is created on the market. Since 2004 the Office of Competition and Consumer Protection has been providing its opinion on state aid schemes and individual state aid decisions before their notification to the European Commission. The President of the Office has also the power to carry out proceedings concerning practices infringing collective consumer interests. UOKiK carries out proceedings concerning general product safety. They may end in a decision ordering the enterprise involved to withdraw a dangerous product from the market . The Office of Competition and Consumer Protection is also responsible for managing the fuel quality monitoring and scrutinising system.