News

On December 10, 2012 a conference was held at the University of Economics in Katowice, under the substantive patronage of our law firm. The theme of the conference, co-organized by the University of Economics in Katowice, Tauron and the Association of Energy Trading (TOE), were specific consumer issues related to functioning of the energy market. Presentations at the conference were given by representatives of the Office of Competition and Consumer Protection, the Energy Regulatory Office, Consumer Ombudsman in Cracow, researchers from the University of Economics in Katowice and managers of Tauron Sprzedaż GZE. Jaroslaw Sroczynski participated in a panel concerning the liberalization of energy market and related practices, presenting a lecture entitled “Commitment decisions of the OCCP and consumer welfare”.
Mr. Sroczynski was also interviewed during the conference by the Silesia Television, see link: www.tvs.pl/42289,stop_naciagaczom_tauron_pomaga_oszukanym_klientom.html

On November 22, 2012 a seminar was organized by the Office of Competition and Consumer Protection, concerning“Effective use of economics tools in the antitrust proceedings”. The seminar consisted of panel presentations by Mr. Kai-Uwe Kűhn, chief competition economist in European Commission, economists from the OCCP and other national competition offices, the OECD, research institutions, as well as lawyers-practitioners. The seminar was devoted to the role and scope of economics in competition law. Mr. J. Sroczyński participated in a panel “Modeling vs. story telling – finding the right balance?” with a presentation entitled “Economic model: panaceum of antitrust?” See also information on the OCCP’s website: See

On October 23, 2012, a workshop “Contracts and disputes in telecommunication. Recent changes and existing problems” was held in Warsaw. The workshop, organized by MM Conferences, was dedicated to the operators of telecommunication landline and mobile networks, legal offices as well as consulting and advisory firms. Piotr Suski presented a lecture entitled “Guidelines for subscriber agreements in the light of recent actions of the OCCP President concerning the protection of consumers in the telecommunication sector”.

On September 24, 2012 our lawyers, Katarzyna Leśko and Łukasz Wieczorek presented a lecture entitled “Online Distribution: New Opportunities and Legal Restrictions” for participants of the Workshop “Distribution Agreements. Domestic and International Practice”, organized by Nowoczesna Firma. The workshop was attended by representatives of various businesses.

The Foundation for the Jagiellonian University has issued a post-conference book on “The increasing role of citizens – Policy of the European Union on consumer protection”. In the above-mentioned book, Mr. Sroczyński published an article entitled “Consumer on the market of electronic payments – the need for changes”. This article is an extended version of a presentation by Mr. Sroczyński during the related conference, organized on September 21, 2012 by the Foundation for the Jagiellonian University and the Department of Law and Administration of the Jagiellonian University. The article discusses the issues of barriers that exist in the banking sector and which hamper development of the market for so-called instant electronic payments. This form of payments is competitive as compared to other forms of electronic payments, and consumers can benefit from the gains achieved by internet shops.

On September 19, 2012 our lawyers Marcin Mioduszewski and Katarzyna Leśko published a press comment supporting the initiative of The Polish Book Chamber to provide book readers with full and adequate information on their rights. See

Tomasz Koellner published an article in the latest edition of The Private Law Quarterly (issue 3, 2012), entitled “Freedom of Information and Copyright Law”. The aim of the article was to comprehensively analyse the Polish legal system in terms of the relations that arise between copyright law and the freedom of information.