Can Coordination Between the Producer and the Distributor in the Process of Calculating Prices and Their Structure in the Tariff Process Be Regarded as Legally Prohibited, Having Regard to the Provisions of Sectorial Regulation and the Regulatory Practice? Case Comment to Decision of the President of UOKiK of 3 December 2020, DOK-5/2020

Abstract

This is a case study analysis based on the decision No. DOK-5/2020 issued by the President of the Office of Competition and Consumer Protection (hereinafter: UOKiK) of 3 December 2020. The main part of the text will be devoted to the analysis of the scope of competences of the President of Energy Regulatory Office (hereinafter: URE) (the NRA) and the President of UOKiK (the NCA) regarding the regulation of heat prices (taking into account Polish and EU doctrine and jurisprudence). In contrast to other publications on the relationship between the competences of the President of URE and the President of UOKiK in supervising the heat market, the paper will focus on the following issues: the process of exchanging information between generators and distributors, the practice of tariff proceedings before the President of URE and the role of the President of UOKiK in the process of tariffing heat prices. The conclusion of the text will be that due to the provisions of Polish energy law, the role of the President of URE in the tariff process, the public nature of tariff applications and approved tariffs, no unauthorised coordination of information exchange between heating companies is possible. The thesis will be supported by de lege ferenda arguments.

Keywords

• tariff
• monopoly
• competition
• restrictive agreement
• competition authority
• regulatory body