Finnish Merger Control To Focus On National Transactions

A proposal by the Finnish Government to lower the national merger control thresholds will significantly increase the number of transactions notifiable to the Finnish Competition and Consumer Authority. However, a focus on national markets could result in fewer notifications from global operators.

Must I notify the Finnish Competition and Consumer Authority of my merger or acquisition? Concerning transactions involving Finnish operations, the answer may, in the future, more often be a “yes”. In September 2022, the Finnish Government submitted a proposal for new legislation (‘Proposal') that would significantly lower the turnover thresholds that trigger an obligation to notify a merger to the Finnish Competition and Consumer Authority (‘FCCA'). The proposal introduces a fully Finnish ‘100+10' rule. This means that transactions between parties whose combined turnover from Finland exceeds EUR 100 million and of which at least two generate a turnover of at least EUR 10