We recently had the privilege of attending and speaking at the CompLaw Nordic conference, hosted by Informa Connect, in Stockholm on 25-26 March 2025. This event brought together regulators, the judiciary, in-house counsel, private practice lawyers and economists from across the Nordics, Baltics and wider Europe, fostering insightful discussions on competition law. 

For those who couldn't join us, we are pleased to share some of the key takeaways from this conference.  

• Overall focus area: Nordic competition authorities have identified the food sector as a priority focus area. So, if you are active in that sector, see that your competition law compliance is in good order. Of the Nordic competition authorities, only the Swedish Konkurrensverket is getting more funding and there is a marked increase in activity in Sweden.
• Merger control: The Finnish FCCA is still advocating very strongly to be entrusted with a call-in option for all mergers that affect the Finnish market. The module under discussion is that all mergers should be notified to the FCCA using a “short form” notice, allowing the FCCA 15 days to evaluate whether they would want to use the call-in option on the notified merger. The Swedish Konkurrensverket has recently emphasized the employment of new high-profile economists, and it is likely that the economic analysis of mergers within the Konkurrensverket will be more thorough than it has been to date. So, if you are contemplating an acquisition in the Swedish market, it is likely that the merger notification process will be more thorough than what it has been to-date.
• Abuse of dominance: The Nordic competition authorities and representatives from the Commission all emphasized the importance of addressing market abuse. It seems that there is a notable shift from an effects-based approach to a more formalistic one in assessing abuse of dominance. This transition suggests that authorities may find it easier to intervene when there is clear evidence of undesirable conduct.
• The interaction between employment law and competition law: There is a growing recognition that employment terms are increasingly regarded as sensitive information under competition law. This development necessitates careful consideration in the exchange of information between competitors, highlighting the need for heightened awareness and diligence in such interactions.

If you need more information or further guidance in this area, please contact Morten Nissen or Katia Duncker.

VISIT OUR COMPETITION & EU HOMEPAGE