On 2 March 2004 the Chamber of Deputies of the Czech Parliament approved an amendment to the current Competition Act. The amendment, which implements EC Regulation 1/2003, designates the Competition Office as the authority responsible for the application of Articles 81 and 82 of the EC Treaty. In addition, the current system of individual exemptions should be abolished in favour of the legal exception system, and the Competition Office should enjoy wider investigatory powers (including the right to inspect private premises). The amendment is subject to the Senate’s approval, and is scheduled come into force on 1 May 2004, the date of the Czech Republic’s accession to the EU.

Source: Czech Parliament news release, available at the Parliament’s website www.psp.cz Josef Vejmelka, Tomá Fiala, Vejmelka & Wünsch (Prague) email: [email protected]