The Office for the Protection of Competition has released its annual report for 2023, covering various areas of its jurisdiction, including competition protection, public procurement oversight, market power control in agriculture, and State aid coordination.

In 2023, the Office concluded a record number of administrative proceedings against prohibited agreements, imposing fines totaling CZK 268 million. Notably, the Office blocked a merger for the first time since 2005 due to concerns about competition distortion.

Amid rising grocery prices, sector inquiries in five food markets found no systemic competition failures or dominant positions at any level. In public procurement, the Office faced a significant increase in complaints and administrative proceedings, with common misconduct related to tender criteria and post-procurement information publication.

The Office engaged in dialogues on public procurement supervision's future, emphasizing continuity with past practices and proposing procedural changes for efficiency. It also focused on educating farmers and food producers on obligations under the amended Act on Significant Market Power.

Regarding State aid, the Office participated in negotiations on aid measures for energy price caps, ecological heating, sustainable biomethane production, and other projects. The integration of the Transport Infrastructure Access Authority's staff and agenda into the Office proceeded smoothly, enabling streamlined decision-making.