Saskaņotas darbības jēdziena izpratne Eiropas Savienības un Latvijas konkurences tiesībās

Abstract

Godīga konkurence – mērķis, kura vārdā valstiskā līmenī tiek ierobežotas līguma slēgšanas tiesības. Mērķis, kura līmenis nav tikai nacionāls un kura sasniegšanai uzraudzības kompetence ir sadalīta starp nacionālajām un Eiropas Savienības institūcijām. Konkurences padome, veicot nacionālo uzraudzību Latvijā, ir atbildīga par normatīvo aktu piemērošanu – kā nacionālo, tā Eiropas Savienības. Aizliegta vienošanās ir viens no smagākajiem konkurences tiesību pārkāpumiem un saskaņota darbība – viens no veidiem, kā tā tiek panākta. Administratīvie akti, ar kuriem Konkurences Padomes uzliek naudas sodu par aizliegtu vienošanos, gandrīz vienmēr tiek pārsūdzēti. Tiesa tos negrozītus atstāj 98% gadījumu. Tas norāda, ka konkurences tiesības ir gana sarežģītas un niansētas, bet tas nemaina apstākli, ka tirgus dalībniekam tās ir saistošas visā tā saimnieciskajā darbībā. Un tieši saskaņota darbība, kurai ir visplašākais tvērums, ir tas vienošanās veids, kuru institūcijai visprecīzāk jāpierāda, bet tirgus dalībniekam – pašam jāuzmanās, lai nekļūtu par aizliegtas vienošanās dalībnieku. Bakalaura darba mērķis ir noteikt saskaņotas darbības pazīmes un Eiropas Savienības prakses nozīmi nacionālo institūciju darbībā, tās pierādot.

The necessity to ensure Fair Competition justifies the implementation by Government of certain restrictions on freedom of contract. In order to secure Fair competition, the responsibility of ensuring that appropriate rules and regulations are established and implemented is divided between European and national institutions. For example, The Latvian Competition Council, being the national supervisor of fair competition practices, applies both Latvian and European Union law. Competition Law defines various offences which may be identified – one of the most serious violations would be the making of a prohibited agreement - one of the three means of doing this would be to engage in Concerted Practice. In reality, such monetary fines imposed on those alleged to be parties to a prohibited agreement are almost always challenged before the court with as many of 98% of litigants not succeeding in their appeals against the sanctions initially imposed. Indeed such outcomesmight readily lead to the conclusion that Competition Law might be seen as a subject of such complexity and detail that the lay person might be understandably confused as to its scope, effect and enforcement. Nevertheless, all who participate in the market are bound by the rules of Competition Law which apply to practically all economic activity. Concerted Practice, one of the identified means of creating a prohibited agreement, has the widest scope. The investigating and enforcing institution has to be very thorough in proving the existence of concerted practice but that does not absolve any participant from his obligation to ensure that he does not take part in such activity, whether knowingly or not. The objective of this thesis is to explain the scope and definition of the term “concerted practice” and the application of European Court of Justice case law when applying competition law.