Today, January 7, marks the final day of Juris Gaiķis as the Chairman of the Competition Council (KP), where he has served for almost five years. Gaiķis reflected on his tenure, highlighting the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic, remote work, and the need for improving the internal work environment to enhance employee well-being and reduce turnover.

During his leadership since 2020, the KP has made over 100 decisions, including rulings on serious antitrust violations such as prohibited agreements involving construction and passenger transport cartels. A total of 28 companies have been penalized, and 178 individuals received warnings for less significant violations, resulting in fines exceeding 31 million euros.

In addition to enforcement actions, the KP has conducted 35 market surveillance initiatives, responding to economic conditions and proactively assessing competition in critical markets like fuel and food. Notably, the KP initiated public dialogue with policymakers regarding rising food retail prices, emphasizing the importance of fair cooperation throughout the food supply chain to protect consumers.

Internationally, the KP's oversight of the wood chip market received high praise, earning the top award at the International Competition Network (ICN) forum for its analysis of price increases in 2021 and 2022, demonstrating the council's effectiveness as a small but impactful institution.

Juris Gaiķis began his role as KP Chairman on September 14, 2020, and the Cabinet of Ministers decided on January 7 to relieve him of his duties. He will now lead the Latvian Digital Health Center.