WORLD TRADE ORGANIZATION  
ORGANISATION MONDIALE DU COMMERCE  
ORGANIZACIÓN MUNDIAL DEL COMERCIO 
IP/N/1/FIN/U/3 
20 February 2012 
 (12-0944) 
Council for Trade-Related Aspects 
of Intellectual Property Rights Original:   English/ 
 anglais/  inglés 
 
  
MAIN DEDICATED INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY 
LAWS AND REGULATIONS NOTIFIED UNDER 
ARTICLE 63.2 OF THE AGREEMENT 
 
FINLAND 
  The present document reproduces the text
1 of the Unfair Business Practices Act, as notified 
by Finland on 10 February 2011 under Article 63.2 of the Agreement (see document IP/N/1/FIN/3). 
 
 Conseil des aspects des droits de propriété 
intellectuelle qui touchent au commerce  
  
PRINCIPALES LOIS ET RÉGLEMENTATIONS CONSACRÉES À LA 
PROPRIÉTÉ INTELLECTUELLE NOTIFIÉES AU TITRE 
DE L'ARTICLE 63:2 DE L'ACCORD 
 
FINLANDE 
  Le présent document contient le texte
1 de la Loi sur les pratiques commerciales déloyales, 
notifiée par la Finlande le 10 février 2011 au titre de l'article 63:2 de l'Accord (voir le 
document IP/N/1/FIN/3). 
 
 Consejo de los Aspectos de los Derechos de Propiedad 
Intelectual relacionados con el Comercio  
 
 
PRINCIPALES LEYES Y REGLAMENTOS DEDICADOS A LA PROPIEDAD 
INTELECTUAL NOTIFICADOS EN VIRTUD DEL PÁRRAFO 2 
DEL ARTÍCULO 63 DEL ACUERDO 
 
FINLANDIA 
 
 En el presente documento se reproduce el texto
1 de la Ley de Prácticas Comerciales 
Desleales, notificada por Finlandia el 10 de febr ero de 2011 en virtud del párrafo 2 del artículo 63 del 
Acuerdo (véase el documento IP/N/1/FIN/3). 
                                                      
1 In English only./En anglais seulement./En inglés solamente.  IP/N/1/FIN/U/3 
 Page 3 
 
 
   
    
 
    
 
  
MAIN DEDICATED INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY LAWS 
AND REGULATIONS 
(in English) 
   
Unofficial translations 
 
 
  
PROTECTION OF UNDISCLOSED INFORMATION 
   IP/N/1/FIN/U/3 
 Page 5 
 
 
  UNFAIR BUSINESS PRACTICES ACT  
 (Unofficial translation)  22.12.1978/1061 
 
(1061/78 amendments up to 461/2002 included)   
Section 1  
 Good business practice may not be violated nor ma y practices that are otherwise unfair to other 
entrepreneurs be used in business.   The commercial purpose of marketing and the part y on whose behalf the marketing is done shall 
clearly appear from the marketing. (461/2002)  
 
Section 2  
 
A false or misleading expression concerning one's own business or the business of another may not be used in business if the said expression is likely to a ffect the demand for or supply of a product or harm 
the business of another.  
 
An expression that refers to irrelevant circumst ances or that is presented or formulated in an 
unsuitable manner may not be used in business if th e said expression is likely to harm the business of 
another.   
The provisions of chapter 2, section 4a, of the Consumer Protection Act (38/1978) shall apply on 
comparative advertising in business. Furthermore, in comparing special offers, the validity of the offer 
shall be clearly indicated, and if the offer is valid only until stocks are exhausted, it shall be indicated. 
(1073/2000)   
Section 3  
 
A benefit that depends on a lottery or that is otherwise based on chance may not be promised in 
business if receipt of the benefit requires the sale, purchase or ordering of a product or otherwise requires consideration.   
The provision in the first subsection shall not apply to prize contest tasks organised in newspapers and 
periodicals as customary entertainment.   If discounts, additional benefits or other specific be nefits are offered in the marketing or if the 
marketing involves disposal by lottery, prize cont ests for the public or games, the conditions for 
receiving the benefits or for participating in the lotte ry, contest or game shall be stated in a clear and 
comprehensible manner and be easily accessible. (461/2002)  
 
Section 4  
 
No one may unjustifiably obtain or seek to obtain in formation regarding a business secret or use or 
reveal information obtained in such a manner.  
 Whoever obtains information regarding a business secr et while in the service of an entrepreneur may 
not unjustifiably use or reveal it while still in servi ce in order to obtain personal benefit or benefit for 
another or in order to harm another.  IP/N/1/FIN/U/3 
Page 6  
 
  Whoever receives information regarding a business secr et while performing a function on behalf of an 
entrepreneur, or who has been entrusted with a techni cal model or technical instructions so that he can 
carry out work or a function or otherwise for business purposes, may not unjustifiably use or reveal 
this.   
Whoever has been informed by another of a bu siness secret, a technical model or technical 
instructions in the knowledge that the said pe rson has unjustifiable obtained or revealed the 
information may not use or reveal this.   
Section 5  
 
Section 5 has been repealed.   
Section 6  
 An entrepreneur may be prohibited from continuing or repeating practices that violate sections 1 - 3. 
The prohibition may be reinforced through a conditi onal fine, unless this is unnecessary for a special 
reason.   If there is a special reason for this, the prohibition may also be directed at a person in the service of an 
entrepreneur referred to in the preceding first subsect ion, or at another person acting on his behalf.  
 
An entrepreneur who in violation of section 4 has used the business secret, technical model or technical instructions of another or revealed any of these may be prohibited from continuing or 
repeating such practice. The prohibition shall be rein forced through a conditional fine, unless this is 
unnecessary for a special reason. (405/1986)  
 
Section 7 (1532/2001)  
 
The prohibition referred to in section 6 shall be im posed by the Market Court. The Market Court may 
also impose a temporary ban, which shall remain  in force until the case is finally decided.  
 
In addition to the above provisions, the Market  Court Act (1527/2001) and the Act on Certain 
Proceedings before the Market Court (1528/2001) sha ll apply to the Market Court and to proceedings 
in the Market Court.   
Section 8 (1532/2001)  
 
In imposing the prohibition referred to in section 6, the Market Court may order the entrepreneur to 
undertake appropriate remedial action within a specifi ed period, if this is deemed necessary on the 
grounds of the evident harm caused by the act. Th e order may be reinforced through a conditional 
fine.   
On the motion of the plaintiff, the Market Court may order that the decision in a case involving a 
prohibition shall be published in one or more ne wspapers or periodicals at the expense of the 
defendant. The publication of a decision on a temporary ban may not be ordered.  
 
Section 9 (810/1990)  
 
Whoever violates deliberately or out of gross negligence the provisions of sections 2 or 3 shall be sentenced to a fine for a violation of the compe tition rules relating to business practices, unless a more 
severe sentence is provided for elsewhere in law for the act or omission.   IP/N/1/FIN/U/3 
 Page 7 
 
 
  Whoever deliberately violates the provisions of sec tion 2 (1) commits an offence referred to in 
section 2 of chapter 30 of the Penal Code and sh all be sentenced for an infringement of the 
competition rules relating to business practices  in accordance with the Penal Code.  
 
Section 10 (810/1990)  
 
Whoever in violation of the provisions of section 4 deliberately uses or reveals a technical model or 
technical directions shall be sentenced to a fine fo r abuse of a technical model or technical directions 
or to imprisonment for six months at most, unless a more severe sentence is provided for elsewhere in law for the act or omission.  
 
Whoever otherwise in violation of the provisions  of section 4 deliberately commits an offence 
referred to in sections 4 - 6 of chapter 30 of the Pe nal Code shall be sentenced  for industrial espionage 
or for breach or disclosure of a business secr et in accordance with the Penal Code.  
 Section 11  
 
Charges for a violation referred to in this Act shall be brought before a genera l court of first instance. 
The public prosecutor may not bring charges unless th e injured party has reported the matter for the 
bringing of charges. (810/1990)   
When considering cases referred to in sections 2 a nd 3 of this Act, the court shall reserve the 
Consumer Ombudsman an opportunity to be heard.   
Section 12  
 This Act enters into force on 1 January 1979. It repeals the Act on the Prevention of Unfair 
Competition of 31 January 1930 (34/1930). 
 
 
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