Fight Unfair Competition: 'Blow the Whistle' with the New Reporting Tool

The Czech Office for the Protection of Competition (Úřad pro ochranu hospodářské soutěže – ÚOHS) has officially launched its own anonymous reporting (whistleblowing) channel for suspected breaches of competition law. 

The new tool allows the general public, company employees or any concerned individuals to raise the respective alerts confidentially, or even anonymously if preferred, about cartel agreements, abuse of dominant position, or other unfair trade practices. 

This whistleblowing channel is accessible via a web interface from the official website of the ÚOHS (https://uohs.integrityline.com/?lang=en) and is designed to ensure strong confidentiality. A person making a disclosure can choose to remain anonymous or to provide contact information to allow follow‑up questions. Once a report is submitted, the system creates a secure mailbox: the whistleblower creates a password and receives a randomly generated case reference number. Only this number plus the password grants access to view any responses of the authority. The confidentiality of communication is maintained throughout, and submissions are handled with maximum discretion. Similar to the reporting channels in larger companies in the private sector, this system is not intended for deliberately false accusations. Such misconduct may be punished. 

In addition, reports may also be submitted via the so called external channel provided by the Ministry of Justice under the Whistleblower Protection Act. However, the ÚOHS expects that this separate direct channel will lead to earlier initiation of the related administrative proceedings, shorter investigation timelines, more effective detection and imposition of sanctions for secret cartels, abuses of dominant position or other distortions of fair competition. 

There are also certain tools operated on the European Union level for the submissions in the fields of antitrust regulation, covering also mergers and state aid issues. However, we consider it very important to have and maintain similar tools at the national level, which is closer to the citizens of a country and easier for them to understand. 

The questions is whether the unveiling of ÚOHS’s anonymous whistleblowing tool indeed marks a significant milestone for transparency and competition enforcement in the Czech Republic. If managed well, it could help uncover hidden unlawful practices and strengthen market fairness. The final effect will depend on its real-world application: how many people will use it, how seriously tips will be provided and followed up, and whether the tool strengthens trust in ÚOHS’s ability to protect fair markets.

By Mgr. Ing. Jan Valíček

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