The President of the Polish competition authority has issued fines to two major companies, Rawicka Fabryka Wyposażenia Wagonów Rawag and Carlsberg Supply Company Polska, for generating payment delays. The fines were imposed after an analysis of over 16,000 invoices revealed significant delays in payments to numerous suppliers.

Rawag, a manufacturer of railway locomotives, was fined over 291,000 PLN, while Carlsberg faced a penalty of 69,000 PLN. Both companies accepted the findings and paid the fines without contesting them. The President emphasized that payment delays are a significant problem for the Polish economy, particularly affecting smaller businesses by increasing costs and limiting employment and investment opportunities.

The process for determining fines involves a two-step calculation based on the anti-payment delay law. Initially, a maximum fine is calculated, which can then be reduced based on various circumstances, including the severity of the violation and the company's cooperation with the authority during the investigation.

In addition to imposing fines, the authority has also initiated soft interventions with over 80 businesses this year, aimed at improving payment discipline and preventing future delays. These interventions serve to raise awareness among businesses about their payment practices without resorting to formal proceedings.

Furthermore, the authority has opened an investigation against Neptun, a company from Lublin, for failing to provide requested information, which could result in a fine of up to 5% of its annual revenue. The authority stresses the importance of cooperation from businesses to expedite investigations, as they often involve extensive document analysis.

To combat payment delays, the law provides two pathways: businesses can either pursue civil claims against debtors or face administrative penalties from the competition authority for significant delays. The authority's role is to prevent systemic issues rather than resolve individual claims, focusing on market regulation and penalizing unreliable partners.

Businesses experiencing payment delays can report suspected cases to the authority, provided they include specific details and supporting documents. More information on payment delays and reporting procedures is available on the authority's website.