The Czech Office for the Protection of Competition (ÚOHS) is set to celebrate its 35th anniversary on September 23, 2026, with a significant conference at the Liechtenstein Palace in Prague. The event will feature prominent state officials and will focus on the evolving landscape of competition policy and the challenges in public procurement.

Since its establishment in 1991, the ÚOHS has been based in Brno and operated as a ministry from 1992 to 1996. The authority currently has five main competencies, with the protection of competition and oversight of public procurement being the key areas of focus. Experts at the conference will delve deeper into these topics.

According to ÚOHS Chairman Petr Mlsna, the market dynamics have drastically changed over the past 35 years. He noted that today’s cartels are more complex and less visible than in the past, making them harder to detect. The discussion will also address the challenges of identifying anti-competitive behavior in both traditional and digital markets, which operate under different rules.

The conference will feature discussions on the future of competition policy, with contributions from ÚOHS leadership and experts from various fields, including Professor Martin Kvizda from Masaryk University and Karel Šimka, Chairman of the Supreme Administrative Court.

The second thematic block will focus on public procurement challenges, particularly upcoming legislative changes at the European Union level that will significantly impact Czech legislation. Key speakers will include ÚOHS officials and experts from various organizations.

In the coming weeks, the ÚOHS will commemorate its anniversary with a series of posts on its social media channels.