Office for the Protection of Competition of the Czech Republic

04/13/2021 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 04/13/2021 07:53

The Chairman of the Czech Office for the Protection of Competition called on Czech MPE´s not to Support Anticompetitive Regulation of Agriculture

Mr. Petr Mlsna, Chairman of the Czech Office for the Protection of Competition, addressed his letter to all the Czech Members of the European Parliament, asking not to vote in favor of legislative proposals which could result in substantial distortion of competition in the agricultural sector.

The Chairman of the Office pointed out the anticompetitive character of particular amendments to Regulation (EU) 2013/1308 of the European Parliament and of the Council establishing a common organisation of the markets in agricultural products and repealing Council Regulations (EEC) No 922/72, (EEC) No 234/79, (EC) No 1037/2001 and (EC) No 1234/2007. 'In the case of approval of these amendments, there is a risk of distortion or complete elimination of competition in affected agricultural markets, which would have a negative impact not only on farmers but primarily on final consumers', stated the chairman of the Office in his letter.

The amendments disproportionately extend the current exemptions from article 101(1) of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union for the agricultural sector, which prohibits the conclusion of agreements restricting competition. The proposed legal framework permits the possibility of concluding cartel agreements within entire agricultural supply chains concerning the price and quantity, enables crisis quantity cartels or national cartels and prohibits the resale of goods at a loss.

Press Unit of the Office

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