• The Authority is concerned about the risk of creating a monopoly for one company - AMS S.A. and eliminating many advertising companies from the market.
• This will be checked by the President of UOKiK, Tomasz Chróstny, who initiated explanatory proceedings in the case.

A resolution of the Warsaw City Council on the principles and conditions for situating small architecture objects, billboards and advertising devices as well as fences (the so-called Landscape Resolution) was adopted on 16 January 2020. It is to come into force at the beginning of May, and the transition period for billboards shall be two years. The proposed provisions address the issue of placing advertising media in Warsaw. In practice, one of the few permitted forms of advertising in the Capital City of Warsaw would be panels at public transport stops, currently controlled by one content provider. The resolution may result in strengthening the competitive position, leading to the creation of a monopoly for the long-term, sole and exclusive administrator of advertising space available on public transport stop shelters.

- We do not question the need to organize the urban space in Warsaw, similarly to other cities in Poland and in the world. However, the landscape resolution may strengthen the position of one company at the expense of eliminating other undertakings from the market, and thus lead to limited access to the outdoor advertising market. This may result in an increase in advertising space rental rates. In carrying out statutory obligations and guarding the competition protection regime, I immediately decided to initiate explanatory proceedings in this case. We will verify whether the adoption of landscape regulations violates the provisions of the Act on competition and consumer protection - says the President of UOKiK, Tomasz Chróstny.

The Authority received complaints and information from whistleblowers, who stressed that the new provisions may infringe competition law. Having examined the content of the Landscape Resolution of the Warsaw City Council and similar regulations in other Polish cities, and having considered the possible effects of the resolution, the President of UOKiK
decided to initiate explanatory proceedings in this case.

The explanatory proceedings are conducted in the case, not against any entity. UOKiK will examine the outdoor advertising market in Warsaw to learn about mechanisms prevailing therein, exact shares of individual undertakings and economic effects of the adopted legal regulation. The Authority does not exclude further actions, including the initiation of antitrust proceedings in the event the infringement of the Act on competition and consumer protection is confirmed.

Additional information for the media:

UOKiK Press Office
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E-mail: biuroprasowe@uokik.gov.pl
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