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Keywords

cartel, agreement, competitors, entrepreneurs

Abstract

The Polish draft of the act on claims for damages arising from competition law infringements implements Directive 2014/104/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council of 26 November 2014 on certain rules governing actions for damages under national law for infringements of the competition law provisions of the Member States and of the European Union. Therein, a definition of a ‘cartel’ has been, for the first time, included in the Polish legal system. Not unlike its predecessors, the Polish legislature defined in the Act of 16 February 2007 on competition and consumer protection the term ‘agreement’ which infringes competition. There is no doubt that both terms are partly similar. A ‘cartel’ constitutes a form of an agreement. So is a separate legal definition of a cartel necessary? Will we be able to meet the challenges specified in the Damages Directive regarding the presumption of a damage caused by a cartel if we do not implement the definition of a cartel into the Polish legal system? The draft act provides that this presumption includes also other competition restricting practices. However, this solution seems to be in conflict not only with the ideas behind the conception of the definition of a cartel provided in the Damages Directive, but with the Directive itself. As such it will have to be changed during the legislative procedure. There is no doubt that other types of competition restricting practices cause less damage than cartels and that they do not always result in damages. Even for that reason, the definition of a cartel seems to be not only useful but also necessary.

First Page

47

Last Page

57

Page Count

10

DOI

10.7172/2299-5749.IKAR.1.6.4

Publisher

University of Warsaw

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