TSI Project workshops on preventing bid rigging in public procurement

From 7 to 10 April 2025 a series of three thematic workshops was successfully held in Zagreb, organized by the Croatian Competition Agency (CCA) as part of the Technical Support Instrument (TSI) project. The initiative was carried out in collaboration with competition authorities from Austria, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Greece, and Romania, with expert support from the OECD and the European Commission. The workshops aimed to strengthen the capacities of key stakeholders in the public procurement system—from contracting authorities and members of the judiciary to undertakings and their associations—with the goal of more effectively preventing and combating bid rigging in public procurement.

The first workshop, held on 7 and 8 April, was held for the representatives of public contracting authorities—state administration bodies, agencies, and sector contractors —with a focus on preventing and identifying suspicious patterns in public procurement procedures. The workshop was opened by Branimira Kovačević, vice-president of the Competition Council, alongside Despina Pachnou from the OECD. The CCA representatives Jelena Pavičić, acting head of the Restrictive Agreements Department, and Ivana Hruškar, advisor, presented Croatian practice in detecting and sanctioning cartels. Experts from the OECD, the European Commission, and partnering national competition authorities spoke about methods for preventing and detecting bid rigging, including the OECD Council Recommendations.

On the second day of the workshop, special emphasis was placed on drafting tender documentation as a tool to reduce the risk of collusive agreements. A roundtable, moderated by Tadija Kristić, CCA senior advisor in Digital Affairs Department, brought together the representatives from partner countries to discuss national practices and challenges in combating cartels. Special attention was also given to compensation for damages for the victims of cartels and mechanisms for reporting suspicious practices.

The third day of the workshop on 9 April, focused on strengthening the role of the judiciary in tackling bid rigging, brought together judges, public prosecutors, auditors, and economic crime investigators. Judge Vesna Tomljenović of the General Court of the EU presented the case law and challenges in assessing evidence in cartel cases. Despina Pachnou (OECD) spoke about whistleblowing mechanisms, including leniency programmes and exclusion measures in public procurement. Judge Jelena Čuveljak of the High Commercial Court of Croatia explained how damages are calculated in the context of private enforcement of competition law.

The final workshop, held on 10 April, was aimed at private sector representatives—associations of undertakings and chambers of the economy and trades—with the goal of raising awareness about the importance of compliance with competition law. Jelena Pavičić and Ivana Hruškar opened the workshop with an overview of legal obligations and the consequences of non-compliance. Despina Pachnou from the OECD gave a detailed analysis of the most common forms of cartels and their detrimental effects on the economy, while Petra Košťálová from the Czech competition authority spoke about effective compliance programmes, particularly those tailored to small and medium-sized enterprises. Special focus was placed on reporting mechanisms and whistleblower protection, presented by Tadija Kristić and Ivana Hruškar. The workshop concluded with an OECD simulation exercise in which participants took on the roles of compliance officers in a hypothetical case of cartel detection within their own company.

We thank all speakers and participants for their exceptional contributions, active collaboration, and knowledge-sharing. These workshops have once again confirmed the importance of cross-sector cooperation and education in the fight against collusive agreements that harm competition, the economy, and society.