Conference
The Regulation of Markets in Defence of Democratic Principles
19-20 March 2026, Warsaw
Let’s discuss the role of competition law and new regulatory regimes in preserving of democratic principles in digital markets and beyond – during the inaugural conference of the Irena & Jerzy Wiszniewski Foundation in Warsaw.
European businesses and institutions depend heavily on digital technologies and services supplied by non-EU actors, notably US tech monopolies. The dominance of Big Tech not only undermines well-functioning markets. It is also a potential danger to Europe’s democracy and values.
Some of the threats are:
- a lack of diverse information sources,
- the rise of misinformation,
- the erosion of traditional media,
- technology market concentration,
- insufficient digital sovereignty.
Distinguished speakers from across the world – covering academia, enforcement agencies, EU institutions and legal practice – will join the discussion.
Panel discussion on Thursday 19 March will involve heads of national competition authorities and representatives from the European Commission.
The keynote speech on Friday 20 March will be delivered by the President of the General Court of the EU, Marc van der Woude.
Registration
The conference fee is 300 PLN (tickets are free for full-time students and academics at UW and PAN).
Register: https://app.oxfordabstracts.com/register/event/76732
Venue: University of Warsaw, ul. Dobra 55 (Aula 0.410)
Competition
IWB Prize
During the Opening Session of the Conference on 19 March 2026, the winners of the first edition of the biennial Irena Wiszniewska-Białecka Prize will be announced.
Three winners have been chosen from an outstanding pool of doctoral theses and monographs in competition and intellectual property law. The Prize was established to support scholars in competition and antitrust law, and to promote the advancement of learning and innovation.
A discussion will follow the announcement, with the winners answering questions on academia, how to succeed, how to publish and other questions posed by attendees.
Thursday 19 March
| 15.00-15.45 | Registration |
|---|---|
| 16.00-16.30 | Welcome Alojzy Nowak (Rector, University of Warsaw)/Grzegorz Karasiewicz (Dean of Faculty of Management) Tomasz Wardyński (President, Wiszniewski Foundation) |
| 16.30-17.30 | Safeguarding democracy and values Roundtable discussion on the protection of values, privacy, security and freedoms. The roundtable discussion will follow a keynote speech by Věra Jourová, Vice-President of the European Commission and Commissioner responsible for Values and Transparency from 2014 to 2024. |
| 17.30-18.00 | coffee break |
| 18.00-19.00 | Irena Wiszniewska Prize 2024 The session will bring together the two principal goals of the conference. Firstly, it will express the mission of the Foundation to promote the international advancement of competition law and intellectual property, and to assist in the development of robust and transparent institutions for the development of economic opportunity for all. Secondly, the panel will explore the relationship between competition law, the regulation of digital platforms and the protection of democratic principles. |
| 18.15-19.00 | Fireside chat with the winners of the IWB prize on the prize and how to be a great academic |
| 19.00 | Drinks Reception |
Friday 20 March
| 09.00-09.30 | Keynote Speech: Marc van der Woude (President of the General Court of the European Union) |
|---|---|
| 09.30-11.30 | Panel 1. Regulatory tools for protecting democracy: Antitrust and beyond The panel will focus on regulatory responses to threats to democracy existing in digital markets. It will scrutinise to what extent the classic instrument, i.e., competition law, is fit for this purpose, particularly with respect to digital platform practices that stifle the democratic process. The discussion will then move to newer regulatory regimes, in particular the Digital Markets Act, the Digital Services Act, and the European Media Freedom Act. The overall question will be whether the current regulatory regime is sufficient to address existing risks. In this context, institutional limitations, coordination challenges between Member States and the Commission, as well as the role of non-institutional stakeholders in shaping the enforcement of digital regulations, will be examined. |
| 11.30-12.15 | Coffee Break |
| 12.15-14.15 | Panel 2. Shaping the digital commons This panel will explore the regulatory responses to ‘gatekeeper’ platforms in the EU. The concentration of data and power raises urgent questions: how do we protect individual rights and foster fair competition when a small number of companies exert outsized societal and economic influence? This panel will dissect the power of gatekeepers and explore the regulatory and societal responses needed to reclaim our common digital future. |
| 14.15-15.15 | Lunch Break |
| 15.15-17.15 | Panel 3. Harnessing the power of AI for the benefit of humanity: AI, markets and human rights This panel will explore the use of AI to filter communication or control communication with the risk of restricting fundamental rights (freedom of expression versus censorship of copyright) or undermining democratic values (spreading disinformation, impairing free elections) or affecting society in various ways (consumer disinformation, affecting mental health). It will reflect on possible mechanisms to implement to strengthen the fairness of the digital environment. |
| 17.15-18.00 | Conclusions and closing remarks |
| 20.00-22.00 | Reception |
Organizers
Irena & Jerzy Wiszniewski Foundation
The inaugural conference of the Irena & Jerzy Wiszniewski Foundation aims to achieve the mission of the Irena and Jerzy Wiszniewski Foundation to promote the international advancement of competition law and intellectual property, and to assist in the development of robust and transparent institutions for the development of equal opportunity for all. The Foundation was established to honour the legacy of Irena Wiszniewska-Białecka, the first judge from Poland at the General Court of the EU and an influential and pioneering academic in the field of competition law and industrial property, both in Poland and internationally.
At the heart of the Foundation's mission is a commitment to fostering robust, transparent institutions that guarantee equal opportunity for everyone. This conference brings that mission to life by confronting one of today's most pressing challenges: the clash between breakneck technological progress and the need to protect our democratic foundations.
Centre for Antitrust and Regulatory Studies
The Centre for Antitrust and Regulatory Studies (CARS) has been established at the Faculty of Management of the University of Warsaw since 2007. The Centre’s mission focuses on the conduct of scientific research and substantive discussions on issues related to competition and consumer protection as well as pro-competitive and pro-consumer sector-specific regulation in the market economy. CARS conducts interdisciplinary research as well as development and implementation projects, prepares expert opinions, publishes scientific books and journals, organises scientific conferences, conducts training and study programmes, and cooperates with scientific units in Poland and abroad.
Institute of Law Studies PAS
The Institute of Law Studies of the Polish Academy of Sciences is one of the most prominent scientific research institutes of the Polish Academy of Sciences within the area of social sciences. The Institute has been a leading scientific centre in the field of legal studies for over 60 years. The role of the Institute is to initiate, promote, conduct and coordinate research concerning theoretical and practical aspects of law in the context of dynamic changes of the contemporary world.
Patrons
Aspen Institute Central Europe
Aspen Institute Central Europe is an independent platform that mediates interdisciplinary and regional cooperation and supports young Central European leaders. It serves as a politically and ideologically neutral platform for democratic discussions about global, political, economic and social issues to promote the functioning and development of democratic values. Aspen Institute Central Europe fosters values-based leadership with the belief that it is essential for a free, just and equitable society. With the participation of experts from politics, business and public institutions as well as personalities from the arts, sports and science, the Institute organizes public conferences, seminars, workshops and expert discussions.