October was a month of intense activity for the Czech competition authority (ÚOHS), focusing on both its competencies and international cooperation. The chairman, Petr Mlsna, signed two important memoranda with the Slovak and Hungarian counterparts regarding public procurement, and with the Czech Telecommunications Authority concerning regulation and oversight. These agreements aim to enhance the efficiency of agendas and share best practices.

In the area of significant market power, the company Drupork Svitavy was fined 2.6 million crowns for imposing unreasonable payment terms on suppliers.

Regarding public procurement, the authority confirmed a fine of six million crowns for České dráhy due to an illegal amendment to the framework agreement for the purchase of battery trains. The Regional Court in Brno also upheld the authority's decision concerning the Janáček Cultural Centre.

The authority published an updated collection of decisions in the field of IT public procurement and the full text of Chairman Mlsna's speech at the October conference of the Association for Public Procurement. During methodological days, experts focused on changes in contractual obligations.

Additionally, the authority made final decisions on several mergers in key sectors, including energy, construction, automotive, and healthcare.

On the international level, representatives of ÚOHS participated in meetings in Brussels regarding public support rules, including the revision of communications on guarantees and services of general economic interest. The authority coordinates the comments of Czech public bodies on proposals from the European Commission.

As part of its outreach activities, ÚOHS is preparing a free webinar for entrepreneurs focused on preventing violations of competition rules, scheduled for January 14, 2026. Registration for participants in the seminar and the May Conference 2026 has already begun.