KRAJOWA IZBA URBANISTÓW RESTRICTS COMPETITION
Krajowa Izba Urbanistów was imposing minimum service prices on its members – stated
the President of UOKiK. For applying practices significantly restricting competition, the
association of undertakings will be fined with over PLN 17 thousand
[Warszawa, 6th August 2013] Every town planner has to belong to Krajowa Izba
Urbanistów (pl. KIU, The National Chamber of Town Planners). The Chamber’s main goal is
surveillance over a proper exercising the profession of a town planner, i.e. designing
spacial development of local and regional scale. The Office instituted the proceedings
against KIU in October 2012. The President was concerned about some clauses of the
Chamber’s ethical code and the resolution on the introduction of pricing urban schemes.
According to the statutes of Krajowa Izba Urbanistów, its main tasks include setting rules
for pricing the works performed by members of the Chamber. KIU adopted a resolution
introducing the imposed, fixed rate of a working unit as a basis for establishing prices of
urban design. Moreover, it determined the admissible differences in final pricing,
calculated based on this rate, and stated that offering a price lower than that indicated in
the said resolution, would be treated as violation of professional ethics. What is more,
performing the task at a price which is 25% lower than the calculated one, would be the
act of unfair competition. For members who according to KIU offered predatory pricing for
their services, district chambers of town planners, starting from 2004, were conducting
disciplinary proceedings based on the binding code of ethics, which ended up with a
reprimand.
The President of UOKiK decided that by imposing minimum service prices on its members,
KIU was significantly restricting the competition and prevented town planners from
adjusting to the fast-moving market conditions to make the prices go in line with their
costs. Under the antimonopoly proceedings, every undertaking should shape their service
pricing policy themselves. The effects of prohibited practices of the Chamber mainly
affected the entities using services of town planners - they were deprived of selecting a
cheaper offer.
For applying competition-restricting practices consisting in fixing minimum prices, the
President of UOKiK fined Krajowa Izba Urbanistów with PLN 17 625 and ordered to
discontinue the contested practices. This decision is not final, KIU may lodge an appeal to
the court.
Additional information for the media:
Małgorzata Cieloch, Spokesperson for UOKiK
Department of International Relations and Communication
Pl. Powstańców Warszawy 1, 00-950 Warszawa
Tel.: +48 22 827 28 92, 55 60 106, 55 60 430
Fax: +48 22 826 11 86
E-mail: [email protected]