• Are ambulance deliveries to healthcare facilities made in breach of the competition law?
• President of UOKiK, Tomasz Chróstny, has opened a preliminary investigation into the case and the Authority’s employees, having obtained permission from the court, have conducted searches at the premises of several entrepreneurs.

In April 2023, UOKiK employees, assisted by the police, carried out searches at the premises of four entrepreneurs involved in production and distribution of ambulances.

The activities performed related to the preliminary investigation instigated by President of UOKiK, Tomasz Chróstny. The information obtained by the Authority indicates that entrepreneurs taking part in tenders organised by emergency units and hospitals, among others, possibly entered into an anti-competition arrangement which has lasted since 2014. We have been analysing the evidence which shows that more entrepreneurs had been involved in the arrangement.

- We suspect collusive bidding that is why I have instigated a preliminary investigation and have ordered searches which were carried out with the court's approval. We are currently reviewing the collected evidence. Tender procedures for ambulance purchase are organised regularly by hundreds of domestic healthcare facilities and their object is to deliver the vehicles which are of key importance for the provision of multiple healthcare services. This is why we may now be facing the breach of the competition laws on the market which is important for the proper functioning of the healthcare system - says President of UOKiK, Tomasz Chróstny.

The preliminary investigation are conducted in the case itself and not in relation to specific entrepreneurs. If the evidence collected confirms the suspicions, the President of the Office will initiate antitrust proceedings and bring charges against individual entities. An enterprise involved in a competition-restricting agreement faces a penalty of up to 10% of its turnover.

- Collusive bidding results in ineffective spending by the aggrieved institutions and losses to the State Budget, which will be felt by all of us. Therefore I call all persons who are aware of the fact that a collusive bidding has been made to contact UOKiK under our whistleblower initiative. We will guarantee full anonymity – says Tomasz Chróstny, President of UOKiK.

Do you wish to inform UOKiK about competition restricting practices? Visit konkurencja.uokik.gov.pl/sygnalista/ and fill out a simple form. The system we use guarantees full anonymity, including to the Authority itself.

Additional information for the media:

UOKiK Press Office
pl. Powstańców Warszawy 1, 00-950 Warszawa, Poland
Phone: 22 55 60 246
Email: biuroprasowe@uokik.gov.pl
Twitter: @UOKiKgovPL
You can also follow us on Instagram: @uokikgovpl