• UOKiK conducted searches in the office of the Iveco truck manufacturer in Poland and branches of Iveco in Poland.
• This is related to the ongoing investigation regarding the sale of trucks.

At the end of May and the beginning of June several dozen employees of UOKiK, assisted by the police, entered the headquarters and branches of four entrepreneurs in the automotive sector. They inspected the office of the Iveco truck manufacturer in Poland, namely Iveco Poland and dealers of its vehicles CTC from Ruda Śląska, Przedsiębiorstwo Handlowo-Usługowe Exmot from Bydgoszcz and Uni-Truck from Zielona Góra.

The purpose of our operation was to find and secure evidence of illegal agreements between entrepreneurs. Our suspicions relate to the market division, price fixing and coordination of actions in public call for tenders, says the President of UOKiK, Marek Niechciał

The search was conducted as part of the explanatory proceedings. Such proceedings constitute an initial stage of the office’s operation and are not directed at specific enterprises. However, if the suspicion of the violation is confirmed, then the collusion could have affected the portfolios of the manufacturer’s contractors. Collusion regarding market division could have led to an increase in Iveco trucks’ prices and costs for transport companies, and thus to higher prices of transported goods. 

The transport industry is an important branch of the Polish economy, so far beating competitive service providers from the “old” Member States (15-EU). Higher prices of trucks are therefore particularly unfavourable to Poland, adds President Marek Niechciał

Investigating the case of Iveco cars is the next step that UOKiK has taken in the proceedings regarding the automotive sector. This year the office has initiated competition proceedings regarding trucks of other make.

UOKiK searches the premises of a business when it suspects that evidence of violation of competition law is kept on such premises. It is conducted only after the Office of Competition and Consumer Protection is granted a search warrant and is most often assisted by the police. An entrepreneur is then required to let officers into its premises, and make documents and data carriers available to them.  

The participation in an arrangement that restricts competition may lead to a fine of up to 10% of an enterprise’s turnover. Managers responsible for concluding secret cooperation or deceitful agreements may face a fine of up to PLN 2,000,000.

The leniency programme gives entrepreneurs participating in illegal agreements and managers responsible for collusions a chance to avoid fine or reduce its amount. Enterprises may join it provided that they will cooperate with UOKiK as a crown witness and give evidence or information about the existence of an unlawful agreement. Enterprise and managers interested in the leniency programme are encouraged to contact the Office. UOKiK lawyers can be reached at 22 55 60 555 and they will answer all questions regarding leniency applications, including anonymous ones.

If you know anything about collusions or practices restricting competition, please report them to UOKiK. The Office runs a programme aimed at obtaining information from anonymous whistle-blowers, including former employees of companies. Contact us at 22 55 60 500 or at the following e-mail address: [SCODE]c3lnbmFsaXN0YUB1b2tpay5nb3YucGw=[ECODE]. All data on the whistle-blower programme can be found at konkurencja.uokik.gov.pl.

Additional information for the media:

UOKiK Press Office
Pl. Powstańców Warszawy 1, 00-950 Warszawa, Poland
Phone +48 695 902 088, +48 22 55 60 246
E-mail: [SCODE]Yml1cm9wcmFzb3dlQHVva2lrLmdvdi5wbA==[ECODE]
Twitter: @UOKiKgovPL