29 May 2025 – The Czech Supreme Administrative Court has ruled that the Office for the Protection of Competition acted lawfully during its March 2024 inspection of appliance distributor Gorenje. The decision overturns a previous ruling by the Regional Court in Brno, allowing the Office to use seized evidence in its investigation into suspected anti-competitive conduct.
Gorenje’s complaint was dismissed, while the Court confirmed that evidence from before 2020 and related to the Slovak market can be valid if tied to a broader pattern of conduct.
The ruling clarifies the scope of local inspections and reinforces the Office’s authority to investigate long-term anti-competitive practices.
