PRAGUE, April 15, 2026 — More than 140 competition law experts from 47 countries have gathered in Prague for a workshop organised by the Office for the Protection of Competition (ÚOHS) as part of the activities of the International Competition Network (ICN).
The ICN Unilateral Conduct Workshop 2026, which runs until Friday, focuses on the enforcement of competition rules relating to abuse of dominant market positions. It marks the first time that the Czech competition authority has hosted this type of ICN event.
Growing complexity of dominance cases
Opening the conference, Petr Mlsna highlighted the increasing complexity of competition enforcement as markets become more globalised and business strategies more sophisticated.
According to Mlsna, abusive conduct by dominant companies remains one of the most challenging areas of competition law. He noted that anticompetitive behaviour today is often less visible and more difficult to detect, as it can appear similar to legitimate or efficient business conduct.
He also stressed that such conduct is not limited to digital markets but also occurs in traditional sectors, although the economic context and evidentiary frameworks used by authorities have evolved.
Diverging approaches among authorities
A central theme of the Prague workshop is the variety of approaches used by competition authorities worldwide to assess market power and dominance.
Mlsna said differences between jurisdictions extend beyond market share analysis to issues such as barriers to entry, vertical integration, buyer power and the use of presumptions of dominance. In increasingly globalised markets, these differences can pose challenges for both legal certainty and enforcement.
The ICN plays an important role in addressing these challenges by facilitating dialogue and encouraging greater convergence in enforcement approaches while respecting national legal frameworks, he added.
International cooperation highlighted
Jeroným Tejc also addressed participants at the opening session, stressing the importance of exchanging experiences across jurisdictions.
Tejc said international meetings such as the ICN workshop provide an opportunity not only for presentations but also for open discussions that help identify emerging competition issues.
He also referred to recent amendments to the Czech Act on the Protection of Competition, which have recently entered the legislative process.
The ICN workshop is the largest international event hosted by the Czech competition authority this year, bringing together regulators, academics and practitioners to discuss developments in the enforcement of dominance rules.
