WORLD TRADE ORGANIZATION  
ORGANISATION MONDIALE DU COMMERCE  
ORGANIZACIÓN MUNDIAL DEL COMERCIO  IP/N/1/FIN/U/2 
9 February 2007 
 (07-0602) 
Council for Trade-Related Aspects 
of Intellectual Property Rights Original:   English/ 
 anglais/  inglés 
 
  
MAIN DEDICATED INTELLECTUAL PR OPERTY LAWS AND REGULATIONS 
NOTIFIED UNDER ARTICLE 63.2 OF THE AGREEMENT 
 
FINLAND
 
  The present document reproduces the consolidated text
1 of the Unfair Business Practices 
Act 22.12.1978/1061 as amended up to 2002/461 incl., no tified by Finland under Article 63.2 of the 
Agreement (see document IP/N/1/FIN/2). 
 
 
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 actualisé
1  de la Loi 22.12.1978/1061 sur les pratiques 
commerciales déloyales, modifiée jusqu'en 2002 (2002/ 461) inclusivement, notifiée par la Finlande au 
titre de l'article 63:2 de l'Accord (voir le document IP/N/1/FIN/2). 
 
 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 texto1 refundido de la Ley de  Prácticas Comerciales 
Desleales  N° 22.12.1978/1061 y sus modificaciones hasta 2002 (2002/461) inclusive, notificado por Finlandia en virtud de lo dispuesto en el párra fo 2 del artículo 63 del Acuerdo (véase el documento 
IP/N/1/FIN/2). 
                                                     
 
1 In English only. The text is available for co nsultation by interested Delegations at the WTO 
Secretariat in Finnish and Swedish./En anglais seulement.  Les délégations intéressées peuvent consulter le texte 
en finnois et suédois au Secrétariat de l'OMC./En inglés solamente.  Las delegaciones interesadas podrán 
consultar en la Secretaría de la OMC el texto en finlandés y sueco. IP/N/1/FIN/U/2 
Page 2  
 
  Unfair Business Practi ces Act 22.12.1978/1061 (Unofficial translation) 
 
(Amendments up to 2002/461 included) 
 
 
Section 1 
 
Good business practice may not be  violated nor may practices that are otherwise unfair to 
other entrepreneurs be used in business.  The commercial purpose of marketing and the pa rty on whose behalf the marketing is done 
shall clearly appear from  the marketing. (461/2002) 
 
Section 2 
 
A false or misleading expression concerning on e’s own business or the business of another 
may not be used in business if the said expres sion is likely to affect the demand for or supply 
of a product or harm the business of another.  An expression that refers to irrelevant circumstan ces or that is presented or formulated in an 
unsuitable manner may not be used in business if  the said expression is likely to harm the 
business of another.  The provisions of chapter 2, sec tion 4a, of the Consumer Prot ection Act (38/1978) shall apply 
on comparative advertising in business. Furtherm ore, in comparing special offers, the validity 
of the offer shall be clearly indicated, and if the offer is valid only unt il stocks are exhausted, 
it shall be indi cated. (1073/2000) 
 
Section 3 
 
A benefit that depends on a lottery or that is  otherwise based on chan ce 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 contes t tasks organised in 
newspapers and periodicals as  customary entertainment. 
 If discounts, additional benefits or  other specific benef its 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 lottery, 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 obtai n information regarding a business secret or 
use or reveal information obtained in such a manner. 
  IP/N/1/FIN/U/2 
 Page 3 
 
 
  Whoever obtains information regarding a busi ness secret while in the service of an 
entrepreneur may not unjustifiably use or reveal  it while still in serv ice in order to obtain 
personal benefit or benefit for another or in order to harm another.  Whoever receives information regarding a bus iness secret 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 technica l model or technical 
instructions in the knowledge that  the said person has unjustifiab le obtained or revealed the 
information may not use or reveal this.  Section 5  has been repealed (24.8.1990/810). 
 
Section 6 
 
An entrepreneur may be prohibited from con tinuing or repeating practices that violate 
sections 1 - 3. The prohibition may be reinforced  through a conditional fine, unless this is 
unnecessary for a special reason.  If there is a special reason for this, the prohibi tion may also be directed at a person in the 
service of an entrepreneur refe rred to in the preceding first subsection, or at another person 
acting on his behalf.  An entrepreneur who in violati on of section 4 has used the busi ness secret, technical model or 
technical instructions of anothe r or revealed any of these ma y be prohibited from continuing 
or repeating such practice. The prohibition sh all be reinforced through a conditional fine, 
unless this is unnecessary fo r a special reason. (405/1986) 
 Section 7  (1532/2001) 
 The prohibition referred to in section 6 shall be imposed by the Mark et Court. The Market 
Court may also impose a temporary ban, which sha ll 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 (1528/20 01) shall 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 approp riate remedial action within a specified period, if this is 
deemed necessary on the grounds of the eviden t harm caused by the act. The order may be 
reinforced through a conditional fine.  IP/N/1/FIN/U/2 
Page 4  
 
  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 newspa pers or periodi cals 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 gro ss negligence the provisions of sections 2 or 3 
shall be sentenced to a fine for a violation of the competition rules relating to business practices, unless a more severe sentence is pr ovided for elsewhere in law for the act or 
omission.  Whoever deliberately violates th e provisions of secti on 2 (1) commits an offence referred to 
in section 2 of chapter 30 of the Penal Code a nd shall be sentenced for an infringement of the 
competition rules relating to business practic es in accordance with the Penal Code. 
 Section 10  (810/1990) 
 Whoever in violation of the provisions of sec tion 4 deliberately uses or reveals a technical 
model or technical direc tions shall be sentenced to a fine for abuse of a technical model or 
technical directions or to imprisonment for si x 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 secti on 4 deliberately commits an 
offence referred to in sections 4 - 6 of chapte r 30 of the Penal Code shall be sentenced for 
industrial espionage or for breach  or disclosure of a business se cret in accord ance with the 
Penal Code.  
Section 11 
 
Charges for a violation referred to  in this Act shall be brought before a general court of first 
instance. The public prosecutor may not bring charges unless the injured party has reported 
the matter for the bringing of charges. (810/1990)  When considering cases referred to in sections 2 and 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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