- within Antitrust/Competition Law topic(s)
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April 2026 – The Czech Competition Authority (CCA) has prepared a landmark draft amendment to the Czech Competition Act. This is arguably the most ambitious overhaul of Czech competition law in over two decades, and the three pillars below are ones that every M&A practitioner, in-house counsel, and manager should have on their radar.
Call-in powers
The CCA would gain the power to review below-threshold transactions that may harm competition - targeting killer acquisitions particularly in digital and pharma markets. Voluntary filing will be allowed. This brings the Czech framework in line with a growing number of EU Member States already using call-in tools, including Sweden, Hungary, Italy, Denmark, and Ireland.
Higher merger thresholds
To offset the new call-in regime, notification thresholds would rise for the first time in 20+ years: combined Czech turnover CZK 1.5 bn → CZK 2.5 bn (~EUR 61 million → ~EUR 103 million), expected to cut routine notifications by ~30%.
Personal liability for managers — a historic first
Managers personally involved in hardcore cartels would face fines up to CZK 10 million (approx. EUR 400,000) and a 5-year management ban. Scope is limited to intentional horizontal cartels. A dedicated individual leniency program will be available. The aim: incentivise insiders to blow the whistle.
Compliance is no longer just a corporate concern — it is now a personal one. Watch this space.
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