Legal source(s)

• Competition Law (948/2011) (Kilpailulaki/Konkurrenslag)
• Act on the Competition and Consumer Authority (661/2012) (Laki Kilpailu- ja kuluttajavirastosta /Lag om Konkurrens- och konsumentverket)
• Act on the Supervision of Online Intermediary Services (18/2024) (Laki verkon välityspalvelujen valvonnasta /Lag om tillsyn över förmedlingstjänster på nätet)
• Act on Certain Powers of the Consumer Protection Authorities (566/2020) (Laki kuluttajansuojaviranomaisten eräistä toimivaltuuksista /Lag om vissa befogenheter för konsumentskyddsmyndigheterna)
• Act on Travel Service Combinations (921/2017) (Laki matkapalveluyhdistelmien tarjoajista /Lag om leverantörer av kombinerade resetjänster)
• Act on Payment Services (290/2010) (Maksupalvelulaki/Betaltjänstlag)
• Government Decree on the Finnish Competition and Consumer Authority (728/2012) (Valtioneuvoston asetus Kilpailu- ja kuluttajavirastosta /Statsrådets förordning om Konkurrens- och konsumentverket)
• Directive 2005/29/ECof the European Parliament and of the Council of 11 May 2005 concerning unfair business-to-consumer commercial practices in the internal market and amending Council Directive 84/450/EEC, Directives 97/7/EC, 98/27/EC and 2002/65/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council and Regulation (EC) No 2006/2004 of the European Parliament and of the Council (Unfair Commercial Practices Directive)
• Directive 2006/123/ECof the European Parliament and of the Council of 12 December 2006 on services in the internal market (Services Directive)
• Directive (EU) 2015/2302of the European Parliament and of the Council of 25 November 2015 on package travel and linked travel arrangements, amending Regulation (EC) No 2006/2004 and Directive 2011/83/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council and repealing Council Directive 90/314/EEC
• Regulation (EU) 2017/2394of the European Parliament and of the Council of 12 December 2017 on cooperation between national authorities responsible for the enforcement of consumer protection laws and repealing Regulation (EC) No 2006/2004 (Consumer Protection Cooperation Regulation)
• Regulation (EU) 2018/302of the European Parliament and of the Council of 28 February 2018 on addressing unjustified geo-blocking and other forms of discrimination based on customers’ nationality, place of residence or place of establishment within the internal market and amending Regulations (EC) No 2006/2004 and (EU) 2017/2394 and Directive 2009/22/EC
• Regulation (EU) 2022/2065of the European Parliament and of the Council of 19 October 2022 on a single market for digital services and amending Directive 2000/31/EC (Digital Services Act)

Human rights capacity support

Functions

• Implements competition and consumer policies.
• Oversees the Competition Act and EU rules.
• The director of the Consumer Division of the authority serves as Consumer Ombudsman, enforcing consumer protection laws.
• Handles major consumer cases and addresses unlawful practices.
• Issues orders, penalties and statements.
• Conducts research and coordinates EU cooperation on consumer and competition issues.

Specific mandates

Structured cooperation with partners at national level

• Cooperates with the Finnish Financial Supervisory Authority (FIN-FSA), the Finnish Transport and Communications Agency (Traficom), the Energy Authority, the Finnish Medicines Agency (FIMEA) and regional agencies.
• Works with special ombudsmen, ministries and advisory councils.
• Assists the Ministry for Foreign Affairs in EU competition cases.

Structured cooperation with partners at international and EU level

• Engages with the European Commission, the authorities of EU Member States, the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development’s Competition Committee, Nordic competition authorities and the International Competition Network.
• Part of the European Competition Authorities network.
• Member of the Internal Market Information System (IMI) committee and the network of national IMI coordinators.