Competition policy

The aim of competition policy is a well-functioning market and competition between enterprises. Competition policy attaches special attention to consumers’ interests and ensuring free enterprise. The EU competition rules are based on Articles 101 and 102 of the Treaty on the functioning of the European Union (TFEU). These rules ban such forms of cooperation between enterprises that affect trade between Member States and distort competition. They also ban abuse of dominant market position.

The national competition policy in Finland derives from the Competition Act. The material provisions of the Act are compatible with the EU rules on competition. On the basis of the Act it is possible to address enterprises’ arrangements that either restrict competition in Finland or have consequences for Finnish customers.

In the EU Commission, the responsibility for competition issues rests with the Commission´s Directorate-General for Competition. In Finland, the responsibility for the drafting of national competition legislation and Finnish opinions is entrusted to the Competition policy unit  of the Ministry of Employment and the Economy. The Finnish Competition and Consumer Authority (FCCA) is responsible in practice for competition control and examination of single competition restrictions.

EU Merger control

The aim of the control of mergers and acquisitions is to avoid distorting concentration of the market as a result of mergers and acquisitions. The EU rules on mergers and acquisitions are set out in Council Regulation (EC) No 139/2004, i.e. the so-called EU Merger Regulation, that stipulates that mergers where certain turnover limits are exceeded require prior notification to the Commission. If the turnover limits set out in the Merger Regulation are exceeded, the Commission has exclusive jurisdiction in the case.

National Merger control

Merger control began in Finland in 1998. The provisions on merger control are included in chapter 4 of the Competition Act (948/2011). Concentrations exceeding a certain turnover threshold shall be notified to the FCCA under the Competition Act and the transaction shall not be implemented prior to the Finnish Competition and Consumer Authority decision in the matter.

In the Competition Act, the provisions on the assessment of mergers have been reformed so as to conform even better to the manner of assessment in the EU law. The so-called SIEC test (Significant Impediment of Effective Competition) has been adopted in the assessment of mergers.

The web site of the DG Competition provides more detailed information on EU competition rules, their background, rules on concentrations on the Internal Market and the latest news as concerns EU competition policy. Information on the content and the implementation of the national competition law is available on the web site of The Finnish Competition and Consumer Authority.  

The Ministry of Employment and the Economy participates in the handling and development of competition issues also within the OECD and the World Trade Organisation (WTO).