The President of the Polish competition authority, Tomasz Chróstny, has launched eight new investigations into companies that have been excessively delaying payments to their contractors. This action is part of a broader effort to combat payment delays, with a total of 31 investigations initiated throughout 2024.

Among the companies facing scrutiny are Gemini Apps, Colian Logistic, Nivea Polska, Stellantis Gliwice, Coty Eastern Europe, SPX Flow Technology Poland, Moto-Truck, and Przedsiębiorstwo Produkcyjno-Handlowe Meliorex. The authority's primary tool for addressing these delays is through administrative penalties imposed on companies that fail to pay their debts on time.

In addition to formal investigations, the authority has also issued soft interventions to 21 companies whose payment practices raise concerns. These communications aim to inform businesses of identified irregularities and encourage them to improve their payment discipline to avoid potential penalties.

The authority actively monitors the market for signs of payment delays, utilizing various information sources, including notifications from businesses that suspect they are victims of such delays. In 2024, the authority reviewed 28 notifications regarding suspected excessive payment delays.

Payment delays can have detrimental effects on the market, as they create a chain of debt that impacts the financial liquidity of interconnected businesses. The authority defines excessive delays as instances where a company fails to meet payment obligations totaling at least 2 million PLN over three consecutive months. If such delays are confirmed, the authority can impose administrative fines based on the amount of overdue payments and the duration of the delays.

The fine calculation process involves two stages: first, determining the maximum penalty based on statutory formulas, and second, potentially reducing the fine based on mitigating circumstances. Factors considered include the value of overdue payments, the length of delays, the severity of the violation, and the company's cooperation with the authority during the investigation.