We are pleased to announce that on December 19, 2013 awards were given in a competition for the best MA thesis in the field of protection of competition, organized by the Chairperson of the Office for Competition and Consumer Protection in cooperation with the Competition Law Association.

The jury awarded an honorable mention to Mr. Bartłomiej Petrykowski of the Faculty of Law and Administration of the University of Gdańsk for a thesis entitled “The leniency programme in Polish competition law” written under the supervision of Dr  Andrzej Powałowski. The rules of the competition provided for an honorable mention to be awarded by the Competition Law Association for a thesis with the highest grades in the following three categories:

1. practical application of the thesis to the most pressing problems currently for undertakings,

2. consideration of economic aspects of application of competition law, and

3. consideration of comparative law aspects.

Members of the Awarding Committee particularly appreciated in Mr. Petrykowski’s thesis the selection of a current subject of great importance for competition law practitioners and elements of comparative law. The winner of the honorable mention awarded by SPK also went beyond the remit of the concept and attempted an assessment of pros and cons of the Polish leniency program.

Awards of the Chairperson of the Office for Competition and Consumer Protection were given to:

1. Mr. Jan Polański of the Faculty of Law and Administration of the University of Warsaw for a thesis entitled: “The institution of cartel settlements in EU law”, prepared under the supervision of Dr. Rudolf Ostrihanski (1st place),

2. Ms. Katarzyna Wiese of the Faculty of Law and Administration of the Jagiellonian University for a thesis entitled: “Abuse of a dominant position by Organizations of Collective Management of copyrights and related rights - Comparison of Polish and German laws with elements of EU law”, prepared under the supervision of Dr. Paweł Podrecki and Prof. Michał du Vall (2nd place),

3. Ms. Joanna Czesak of the Faculty of Law, Administration and Economics of the University of Wrocław for a thesis entitled: “Parallel import in pharmaceutical law as an issue of public business law”, prepared under the supervision of Prof. Leon Kieres.

In the competition for the best MA thesis on the protection of consumer rights, the following persons were honored:

1. Ms. Zuzanna Marszałek of the Faculty of Law and Administration of the University of Łódź  for a thesis entitled: “Evolution of the protection of a consumer and an undertaking against misleading advertising  in EU law as well as Polish and French laws”, prepared under the supervision of Dr. Monika Namysłowska (1st place),

2. ex aequo - Ms. Agnieszka Chudyba of the Faculty of Law and Administration of the Jagiellonian University for a thesis entitled: “Consumer protection in EU aviation law” (thesis prepared under the supervision of Prof. Stanisław Biernat) and Mr. Tomasz Nowakowski of the Faculty of Law and Administration of the University of Łódź for a thesis entitled: “A consumer’s right to rescind an agreement shortly after conclusion” (thesis prepared under the supervision of Dr. Magdalena Rytwińska) (3rd place).

Congratulation to all winners! Do take a look at the photos taken at the ceremony.

At the same time we invite all students to take part in the next round of competitions for the best thesis on competition and consumer protection in 2014. The first one is open to students from all faculties, the second for students of the faculties of law and administration only. The Association will again endow a special prize – an honorable mention of a thesis which not only meets the requirements of the Office, but also concerns a practical aspect of the analyzed problem. Detailed information is available on the UOKiK’s website http://www.uokik.gov.pl/aktualnosci.php?news_id=10763