Programy łagodzenia kar w polskim i amerykańskim prawie ochrony konkurencji a dostępność materiałów Leniency dla osób dochodzących roszczeń odszkodowawczych w sprawach karteli i antykonkurencyjnych porozumień
Leniency programmes in Polish and US antitrust law and the access to Leniency materials in private damages actions in cases of cartels and other restrictive agreements

Summary/Abstract: The article addresses issues concerning access to leniency materials by private damages action litigants in cases of restrictive agreements, and analyzes relevant legal provisions in Polish and US laws. With regard to the former, the article considers both its current rules as well as a draft act which will serve to implement the EU Damages Directive (Directive 2014/104/EU). The issue of disclosure of leniency materials to private damages action litigants is analyzed from the perspective of its impact on the effectiveness of leniency programmes. This article questions whether the upcoming legislation concerning access to leniency materials may lessen the readiness of undertakings to submit leniency applications. A consequence of a dampening of the interest in seeking leniency would be a decrease in the effectiveness of public enforcement of competition rules. The authors make therefore certain proposals de lege ferenda. At the same time, a comparison of relevant Polish and US provisions and practices leads the authors to the conclusion that it is the US and its judicial decisions that design the relationships between public and private competition enforcement so that each of these instruments interacts with each other without lowering the other’s effectiveness.

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