Press Release: Competition: Commission requests Czech Republic to bring Czech Competition Act into conformity with EU law

The European Commission has formally requested the Czech Republic to amend a provision of the Czech Competition Act that limits the Czech Competition Authority's power to apply Articles 81 (prohibiting cartels and other restrictive business practices) and 82 (prohibiting abuses of dominant position) of the EC Treaty to anticompetitive behaviour in the electronic communications sector. The request takes the form of a reasoned opinion, the second step of EC Treaty infringement procedures (Article 226). Unless the Czech Republic brings its legislation into compliance within two months of receipt of the reasoned opinion, the Commission may decide to refer this case to the European Court of Justice.