As from the end of 2005, the Competition Act determines the role of the GVH in the development and dissemination of competition culture. Accordingly, the GVH is responsible for the development of competition culture, particularly

  • in order to raise public awareness of competition, for the dissemination of knowledge about competition policy, including the provision of information about the benefits resulting from competition or with the aim of assisting compliance and the creation of a competitive regulatory environment, as well as

  • for the contribution on its part to the development of competition-related legal and economic activities of public interest.

The developing of the competition culture, beside competition supervision and competition advocacy, constitutes the third pillar of the GVH's activity of protecting economic competition. The Competition Act provides the required financial conditions for the GVH's increased roll in the development of competition culture. The Act puts at the Authority's disposal five per cent of the total amount of the fines collected in the previous year.

The completion and coordination of works in connection with the development of competition culture, and the identification of needs thereto are the tasks of the Competition Culture Centre (GVH VKK), which is a specialised unit within the Authority. The tasks of the GVH VKK are defined in its annual work plan. Apart from the activities focusing on the development of competition culture with the technical support of the GVH, the work plan also contains programmes in the implementation of which the GVH relies on the contribution of other organisations to which it provides financial and, as circumstances may require, also technical support from its available budget. As it is clear from these tasks, the work plan intends to reach, through its specific activities, a very large target audience, including students and tutors of higher education institutions, teachers and students in primary and secondary education, dealing with/interested in competition law or competition-related economic analysis; theoretical experts and researchers, small and medium-sized enterprises having any contact to the proceedings and competition supervision activities of the Authority, NGOs performing an important role in the development of competition culture and information supply to consumers as well as public administration employees and decision-makers engaged in one way or another in competition-related issues during their work, including members of Parliament and their consultants too. For more information about the activity and functioning of the Centre, visit please the homepage of the GVH VKK. (The homepage will be available soon.)