On December 5, 2024, Advocates Jakub Pawelec and Piotr Birkowski attended the conference "Priorities of the Circular Economy" in Brussels.

The event focused on competition within the waste management sector and brought together representatives from the European Commission, EFTA, and various national governments.

During the conference, Advocate Jakub Pawelec delivered a keynote presentation addressing the critical challenges in competition law and market practices. He shed light on the persistent barriers and unfair regulatory interpretations that are undermining both competition and market competitiveness. Drawing on reports from Mario Draghi, the European Commission, OECD, and the European Court of Auditors, he issued a compelling call for urgent legal reforms. Advocate Pawelec emphasized that these challenges are not confined to the waste management sector but resonate across many industries.

The presentation received widespread recognition and sparked engaging discussions during a panel session. Representatives from the European Commission’s Directorate-General for Competition (DG Competition) reaffirmed that maintaining a competitive market remains a core principle.