Text size:

• Small
• Medium
• Large

Competition Act¹

Passed 05.06.2001
RT I 2001, 56, 332
Entry into force 01.10.2001

Amended by the following legal instruments (show)

Chapter 1 GENERAL PROVISIONS 

§ 1.  Scope of application of Act

 (1) The scope of application of this Act is the safeguarding of competition in the interest of free enterprise upon the extraction of natural resources, manufacture of goods, provision of services and sale and purchase of products and services (hereinafter goods) and the preclusion and elimination of the prevention, limitation or restriction (hereinafter restriction) of competition in other economic activities, as well as the processing of and liability for claims arising from damages.
[RT I, 26.05.2017, 1 – entry into force 05.06.2017]

 (2) This Act also applies if an act or omission directed at restricting competition is committed outside the territory of Estonia but restricts competition within the territory of Estonia.

 (2¹) Chapter 7¹ of this Act provides the obligation to pay the supervision fee for undertakings operating in markets regulated by specific Acts.
[RT I, 30.12.2021, 1 – entry into force 01.01.2022]

 (3) This Act does not regulate relationships in the labour market.

 (3¹) The provisions of the Code of Civil Procedure apply to the civil proceedings prescribed in this Act, taking account of the specifications provided for in this Act.
[RT I, 26.05.2017, 1 – entry into force 05.06.2017]

 (4) The provisions of the Administrative Procedure Act apply to the administrative proceedings prescribed in this Act, taking account of the specifications provided for in this Act.
[RT I 2002, 61, 375 – entry into force 01.08.2002]

§ 2.  Undertaking

 (1) For the purposes of this Act, an undertaking is a person engaged in economic activities, regardless of its legal form or method of financing.
[RT I, 05.07.2025, 1 – entry into force 06.07.2025]

 (2) [Repealed – RT I, 05.07.2025, 1 – entry into force 06.07.2025]

 (3) For the purposes of this Act, undertakings which are connected to each other through control may be deemed to be one undertaking.
[RT I, 05.07.2013, 1 – entry into force 15.07.2013]

 (4) Control is the opportunity for one undertaking or several undertakings jointly or for one natural person or several natural persons jointly, by purchasing shares and on the basis of a transaction or articles of association or by any other means, to exercise direct or indirect influence on another undertaking which may consist of a right to:
 1) exercise significant influence on the composition, voting or decision-making of the management bodies of the other undertaking, or to
 2) use or dispose of all or a significant proportion of the assets of the other undertaking.
[RT I 2006, 25, 186 – entry into force 01.07.2006]

§ 3.  Goods market

 (1) A goods market is an area covering, inter alia, the whole of the territory of Estonia or a part thereof where goods which are regarded as interchangeable or substitutable (hereinafter substitutable) by the buyer by reason of price, quality, technical characteristics, conditions of sale or use, consumption or other characteristics are circulated.
[RT I 2004, 56, 401 – entry into force 01.08.2004]

 (2) In order to define a goods market, the turnover of substitutable goods shall, as a rule, be assessed in money. If this is not possible or expedient, the market size and the market shares of the undertakings participating in the goods market may be assessed on the basis of other comparable indicators.

Chapter 2 PROHIBITION ON AGREEMENTS, CONCERTED PRACTICES AND DECISIONS BY ASSOCIATIONS OF UNDERTAKINGS  

§ 4.  Prohibition on agreements, concerted practices and decisions by associations of undertakings which restrict competition

 (1) The following are prohibited: agreements between undertakings, concerted practices, and decisions by associations of undertakings (hereinafter agreements, practices and decisions) which have as their object or effect the restriction of competition, including those which:
 1) directly or indirectly fix prices or any other trading conditions, including prices of goods, tariffs, fees, mark-ups, discounts, rebates, basic fees, premiums, additional fees, interest rates, rent or lease payments applicable to third parties;
 2) limit production, service, goods markets, technical development or investment;
 3) share goods markets or sources of supply, including restriction of access by a third party to a goods market or any attempt to exclude the person from the market;
 4) exchange information which restricts competition;
 5) agree on the application of dissimilar conditions to equivalent agreements, thereby placing other trading parties at a competitive disadvantage;
 6) make the entry into agreements subject to acceptance by third parties of supplementary obligations which have no connection with the subject of such agreements.
[RT I, 05.07.2013, 1 – entry into force 15.07.2013]

 (2) The prohibition provided for in subsection 1 of this section shall apply to agreements and practices, and decisions of agricultural producers, their associations and federations of such associations, which concern the production or sale of agricultural products or the use of joint facilities, only to the extent determined on the basis provided for in Article 42 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union.
[RT I, 05.07.2013, 1 – entry into force 15.07.2013]

§ 5.  Agreements, practices or decisions of minor importance

 (1) The provisions of clauses 4–6 of subsection 1 of § 4 of this Act do not apply to agreements, practices and decisions of minor importance.

 (2) Agreements, practices or decisions are considered to be of minor importance if the combined market share of the total turnover of the undertakings which enter into the agreement, engage in concerted practices or adopt the relevant decision does not exceed:
 1) 15 per cent for each party of in the case of a vertical agreement, practice or decision;
 2) 10 per cent in total for all parties of a horizontal agreement, practice or decision;
 3) 10 per cent in the case of an agreement, practice or decision which includes concurrently the characteristics of both vertical and horizontal agreements, practices or decisions.

 (3) Agreements by undertakings, concerted practices of undertakings or decisions by associations of undertakings are considered to be vertical if the undertakings operate at different levels of the production or distribution chain (for example the production of raw materials or finished goods, or retail or wholesale distribution). Agreements by undertakings, concerted practices of undertakings or decisions by associations of undertakings are considered to be horizontal if the undertakings operate as competitors at the same level of the production or distribution chain.

 (4) Agreements, practices or decisions are deemed to be of minor importance if the conditions provided for in subsection 2 of this section are fulfilled during the whole period of effect of the agreement, practice or decision.
[RT I 2004, 56, 401 – entry into force 01.08.2004]

§ 6.  Exemption

 (1) The prohibition provided in subsection 1 of § 4 of this Act shall not be imposed concerning an agreement, activity or decision which:
 1) contributes to improving the production or distribution of goods or to promoting technical or economic progress or to protecting the environment, while allowing consumers a fair share of the resulting benefit;
 2) does not impose on the undertakings which enter into the agreement, engage in concerted practices or adopt the decision any restrictions which are not indispensable to the attainment of the objectives specified in clause 1 of this subsection;
 3) does not afford the undertakings which enter into the agreement, engage in concerted practices or adopt the decision the possibility of eliminating competition in respect of a substantial part of the goods market.

 (2) An undertaking which makes use of the conditions arising from this section is required to provide proof concerning compliance with all the conditions set forth in section 1 of this section.
[RT I 2006, 25, 186 – entry into force 01.07.2006]

§ 7.  Block exemption

 (1) Upon the implementation of subsection 1 of § 6 of this Act, the regulations of the European Commission and the Council of the European Union on the application of Article 101(3) of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union to certain categories of agreements, practices or decisions (hereinafter European Union block exemption) apply, even in the case the agreement, practice or decision in question does not affect trade between the Member States.
[RT I, 18.12.2024, 1 – entry into force 01.01.2025]

 (2) The list of European Union block exemptions specified in subsection 1 of this section and the scope, exceptions and conditions for their application in cases where the agreement, practice or decision in question does not affect trade between the Member States shall be established by the Government of the Republic on the proposal of the minister in charge of the policy sector.
[RT I, 18.12.2024, 1 – entry into force 01.01.2025]

 (3) [Repealed – RT I 2004, 56, 401 – entry into force 01.08.2004]

 (4) In addition to the European Union block exemptions specified in subsection 1 of this section, the Government of the Republic may, for the purpose of entry into a certain category of agreements, engaging in a certain category of concerted practices or adopting a certain category of decisions which restrict or may restrict competition, establish a national block exemption regulation prescribing the time limit for the application of the block exemption and, where appropriate:
 1) the name of the category of agreements, practices or decisions to which the block exemption applies;
 2) restrictions or conditions which must not be included in such agreements, practices or decisions;
 3) conditions which must be included in such agreements, practices or decisions;
 4) restrictions or conditions which may be included in such agreements, practices or decisions;
 5) other conditions which such agreements, practices or decisions must comply with.
[RT I, 18.12.2024, 1 – entry into force 01.01.2025]

 (5) The Competition Authority may refuse or revoke the application of a block exemption established under subsection 2 of this section in situations where such powers concerning the relevant European Union block exemption have been granted to the European Commission.
[RT I, 18.12.2024, 1 – entry into force 01.01.2025]

§ 8.  Nullity of agreements or decisions

  [RT I, 05.07.2013, 1 – entry into force 15.07.2013]
Any agreement or decision or a part thereof which has as its object or effect the consequences specified in § 4 of this Act is void unless it is permitted on the basis of §§ 5–7 of this Act.
[RT I, 05.07.2013, 1 – entry into force 15.07.2013]

Chapter 3 [Repealed – RT I 2006, 25, 186 – entry into force 01.07.2006]  

§ 9. – § 12. [Repealed – RT I 2006, 25, 186 – entry into force 01.07.2006]

Chapter 4 UNDERTAKING IN DOMINANT POSITION ON MARKET  
[RT I 2004, 56, 401 - entry into force 01.08.2004]

§ 13.  Undertaking in dominant position on market

 (1) For the purposes of this act, an undertaking in a dominant position is an undertaking or several undertakings operating in the same market whose position enables it/them to operate in the market to an appreciable extent independently of competitors, suppliers and buyers. Dominant position is presumed if an undertaking accounts for at least 40 per cent of the turnover in the market or several undertakings operating in the same market account for at least 40 per cent of the turnover in the market.

 (2) Undertakings in control of essential facilities specified in § 15 of this Act are also undertakings in a dominant position.
[RT I, 05.07.2013, 1 – entry into force 15.07.2013]

§ 14.  Special or exclusive rights

  For the purposes of this Act, special or exclusive rights are rights granted to one undertaking or several undertakings by the state or a local government which limit the number of undertakings to whom the permission to operate in a specific geographical area has been granted or which give advantages to one undertaking or several undertakings which significantly influence the opportunities of other undertakings to operate in the same geographical area.
[RT I, 05.07.2013, 1 – entry into force 01.01.2014]

§ 15.  Undertaking in control of essential facility

  An undertaking is deemed to be in control of an essential facility or to have a natural monopoly if it owns, possesses or operates a network, infrastructure or any other essential facility which other persons cannot duplicate or for whom it is economically inexpedient to duplicate but without access to which or the existence of which it is impossible to operate in the goods market.

§ 16.  Abuse of dominant position

  Any direct or indirect abuse by an undertaking or several undertakings of the dominant position in the goods market is prohibited, including:
 1) directly or indirectly establishing or applying unfair purchase or selling prices or other unfair trading conditions;
[RT I, 05.07.2013, 1 – entry into force 15.07.2013]
 2) limit production, service, goods markets, technical development or investment;
 3) offering or applying dissimilar conditions to equivalent agreements with other trading parties, thereby placing some of them at a competitive disadvantage;
[RT I 2006, 25, 186 – entry into force 01.07.2006]
 4) making the entry into agreements subject to acceptance by the other parties of supplementary obligations which have no connection with the subject of such agreements;
[RT I, 05.07.2013, 1 – entry into force 15.07.2013]
 5) forcing an undertaking to concentrate, enter into an agreement which restricts competition, engage in concerted practices or adopt a decision together with the undertaking or another undertaking;
 6) unjustified refusal to sell or buy goods.

§ 17.  Restrictions on activities of undertakings with special or exclusive rights or in control of essential facilities

  [Repealed – RT I, 05.07.2013, 1 – entry into force 15.07.2013]

§ 18.  Obligations of undertakings in control of essential facilities

  [RT I, 05.07.2013, 1 – entry into force 15.07.2013]

 (1) An undertaking in control of an essential facility is required to permit other undertakings to gain access to the network, infrastructure or other essential facility under reasonable and non-discriminatory conditions for the purposes of the supply or sale of goods.

 (2) An undertaking in control of an essential facility may refuse to grant other undertakings access to the network, infrastructure or other essential facility if the refusal is based on objective reasons, including cases where:
 1) the safety and security of the equipment connected with the network, infrastructure or other essential facility or the efficiency and security of the operation of such network, infrastructure or facility are endangered;
 2) maintenance of the integrity or the inter-operability of the network, infrastructure or other essential facility is endangered;
 3) equipment to be connected to the network, infrastructure or other essential facility is not in conformity with the established technical standards or rules;
 4) the undertaking applying for access lacks the technical and financial capability and resources to provide services efficiently and safely to the necessary extent through or with the assistance of the network, infrastructure or other essential facility;
 5) the undertaking applying for access does not hold the permit prescribed by law for the corresponding activity;
 6) as a result of such access, data protection provided by law is no longer ensured.
[RT I, 05.07.2013, 1 – entry into force 15.07.2013]

§ 18¹.  Special requirement concerning accounting

  An undertaking with special or exclusive rights or in control of an essential facility is required to keep separate accounting of revenue and expenditure related to each product or service on the basis of consistently applied and objectively justified accounting principles which shall be clearly specified in the internal rules of the undertaking. The accounting of revenue and expenditure must enable to assess whether the ratio between the price of a product or service of the undertaking and the value of the product or service is reasonable.
[RT I, 05.07.2013, 1 – entry into force 15.07.2013]

Chapter 5 CONTROL OF CONCENTRATIONS  
[RT I 2006, 25, 186 - entry into force 01.07.2006]

§ 19.  Concentration

 (1) Concentration is deemed to arise where:
 1) previously independent undertakings merge within the meaning of the Commercial Code or parts of undertakings are merged;
 2) an undertaking acquires control of the whole or a part of another undertaking, or of several undertakings or parts thereof;
 3) undertakings jointly acquire control of the whole or a part of another undertaking, or of several undertakings or parts thereof;
 4) a natural person already controlling at least one undertaking acquires control of the whole or a part of another undertaking, or of several undertakings or parts thereof;
 5) several natural persons already controlling at least one undertaking jointly acquire control of the whole or a part of another undertaking, or of several undertakings or parts thereof.

 (2) The joint creation, by persons specified in clauses 3 and 5 of subsection 1 of this section, of a new undertaking performing on a lasting and independent basis is also deemed to be acquisition of control within the meaning of clauses 3 and 5 of subsection 1 of this section.

 (3) For the purposes of this Chapter, a part of an undertaking is the assets of the undertaking or an organisationally independent part of the undertaking, including an enterprise or plant which constitutes a basis for business activities and to which turnover on the goods market can be clearly attributed.

 (4) The following is not deemed to be concentration:
 1) transactions specified in subsection 1 of this section if they are carried out as an internal restructuring of a group of undertakings;
 2) if credit institutions, financial institutions or insurers temporarily acquire, for their own account or for the account of others, securities in an undertaking with a view to reselling them, provided that they do not exercise voting rights in respect of those securities with a view to determining the competitive behaviour of the undertaking which issued the securities and provided that they exercise such voting rights only with a view to preparing the sale of the securities or the undertaking or a part thereof and that any such sale takes place within one year of the date of acquisition;
 3) if control is acquired by a duly authorised person in accordance with the Acts which relate to liquidation, compulsory dissolution, insolvency or other similar proceedings;
 4) if the actions specified in clauses 2 or 3 of subsection 1 of this section are carried out by undertakings whose sole business objective is to acquire and take possession of holdings in other undertakings in order to maintain the value of the investment, provided that the voting rights connected to the holdings are, above all, used in matters related to the appointment of the members of the management and supervisory bodies of such undertakings and not in order to determine, directly or indirectly, the behaviour of the undertakings which influences competition.

 (5) If, based on the principle of reasonableness, the sale specified in clause 2 of subsection 4 of this section is not possible within one year, the Competition Authority may extend the term by a decision on the basis of a reasoned application made by the person.
[RT I 2007, 66, 408 – entry into force 01.01.2008]

§ 20.  Parties to concentration

  The following are parties to a concentration:
 1) the merging undertaking or the undertaking whose part is merged;
 2) the natural person or undertaking who acquires control of an undertaking or a part thereof or several undertakings or parts thereof;
 3) the natural persons or undertakings who jointly acquire control of an undertaking or a part thereof or several undertakings or parts thereof;
 4) the undertaking which is the subject of the acquisition of control or whose part is the subject of the acquisition of control.
[RT I 2006, 25, 186 – entry into force 01.07.2006]

§ 21.  Application of control of concentration

 (1) A concentration shall be subject to control by the Competition Authority if, during the previous financial year, the aggregate turnover in Estonia of the parties to the concentration exceeded 6,000,000 euros and the aggregate turnover in Estonia of each of at least two parties to the concentration exceeded 2,000,000 euros.
[RT I, 30.12.2014, 2 – entry into force 01.01.2015]

 (2) A concentration is not controlled by the Competition Authority if the concentration is subject to control pursuant to Council Regulation 139/2004/EC on the control of concentrations between undertakings (OJ L 24, 29.01.2004, pp. 1–22), unless the European Commission appoints, pursuant to Article 9 of such Regulation, the Competition Authority as the authority competent to exercise control over the concentration.
[RT I 2006, 25, 186 – entry into force 01.07.2006]

§ 22.  Appraisal of concentrations

 (1) Appraisal of a concentration shall be based on the need to maintain and develop competition, taking into account the structure of goods markets and the actual and potential competition in the goods market, including:
 1) the market position of the parties to the concentration and their economic and financial power and opportunities for competitors to access the goods market;
 2) legal and other barriers to entry into the goods market;
 3) supply and demand trends for the relevant goods;
 4) the interests of the buyers, sellers and consumers.

 (2) If the concentration specified in clauses 1, 3 or 5 of subsection 1 or subsection 2 of § 19 of this Act has as its object or effect the co-ordination of the behaviour of undertakings which influences or is likely to influence competition, compliance of such activity with the conditions provided in subsection 1 of § 4 and subsection 1 of § 6 shall also be appraised. The appraisal shall be based, above all, on the following:
 1) whether two or more undertakings who have created a joint venture will continue, to a material extent, their activities in the same goods market as the joint venture, or in the previous or following affected market, or in another market connected to such goods market;
 2) whether the co-ordination of behaviour which is the direct result of the creation of the joint venture gives the undertakings which created the joint venture an opportunity to eliminate competition in the goods market or a significant part thereof.

 (3) The Competition Authority shall prohibit a concentration if it is likely to significantly restrict competition in the goods market above all, by creating or strengthening a dominant position.
[RT I 2007, 66, 408 – entry into force 01.01.2008]

 (4) The Competition Authority shall prohibit a concentration specified in subsection 2 based on subsection 3 of this section, or in the event the concentration does not meet the conditions provided in subsection 1 of § 6 of this Act.
[RT I 2007, 66, 408 – entry into force 01.01.2008]

§ 23.  Turnover of parties to concentration

 (1) The turnover of a party to a concentration is comprised of the returns on the goods sold by the party to the concentration during the financial year preceding the concentration, calculated pursuant to the guidelines for calculating turnover established on the basis of subsection 8 of § 24 of this Act.

 (2) The turnover in Estonia of a party to a concentration is obtained as a result of sale of goods to buyers within the territory of Estonia.

 (3) The turnover of a credit or financial institution is deemed to comprise the total amount of the following income items after deduction of value added tax and income tax:
 1) interest income;
 2) income from financial investments;
 3) income from service charges;
 4) income from financial operations;
 5) other operating income.

 (4) The turnover in Estonia of credit and financial institutions consists of the income earned by a credit or financial institution established in Estonia, or an Estonian branch of a foreign credit or financial institution.

 (5) The turnover of an insurer is deemed to comprise the value of the gross insurance premiums which includes all insurance premiums received and receivable in respect of insurance contracts issued by or on behalf of the insurer, including outgoing reinsurance premiums after deduction of the taxes and other fees and payments to be paid on individual insurance premiums or the total volume of insurance premiums.
[RT I 2006, 25, 186 – entry into force 01.07.2006]

§ 24.  Calculation of turnover

 (1) The turnover of a party to a concentration specified in subsection 1 of § 21 of this Act shall be calculated by totalling the turnovers of the following undertakings:
 1) the party to the concentration;
 2) an undertaking or undertakings controlled by the party to the concentration;
 3) an undertaking or undertakings controlling the party to the concentration;
 4) an undertaking or undertakings controlled by an undertaking specified in clause 3 of this subsection;
 5) an undertaking or undertakings jointly controlled by two or more of the undertakings specified in clauses 1–4 of this subsection.

 (2) If control over an undertaking is acquired in the manner provided for in clauses 2–5 of subsection 1 of § 19 of this Act, the turnover of the undertaking shall be calculated by taking into account only the turnover of that undertaking and the turnovers of the undertakings controlled by the undertaking.

 (3) If control over a part of an undertaking is acquired in the manner provided for in clauses 2–5 of subsection 1 of § 19 of this Act, the turnover of the undertaking shall be calculated by taking into account the turnover of only the part of the undertaking which is the subject of the transaction.

 (4) If control over an undertaking is acquired in the manner provided by subsection 2 of § 19 of this section, the turnovers of the undertakings which jointly create a new undertaking shall be taken account of upon calculating the turnover.

 (5) The turnover of a party to a concentration does not include the sale of goods effected between undertakings which belong to the same group.

 (6) If a concentration comprises acquisition of control by the same natural persons or undertakings of parts of one or several undertakings through two or several transactions conducted within a period of two years, such transactions are deemed to be one and the same concentration and the date of the last transaction is deemed to be the date of such concentration. Upon calculation, in the case of such concentration, of the turnover of the parts over which control is being acquired, the turnover of all the parts which were the objects of the transactions during the preceding two years shall be taken into account but at the same time, the turnover of the corresponding parts shall not be taken account of upon calculation of the turnover of the natural persons or undertakings acquiring control.

 (7) If, within the preceding two years one and the same undertaking or an undertaking belonging to the same group has acquired control of parts of an undertaking or undertakings which operate within one and the same sector of economy in Estonia, the turnover of the undertaking over which control is acquired shall include the turnover of the undertakings over which control has been acquired within the two years preceding concentration.

 (8) The guidelines for the calculation of turnover shall be established by a regulation of the minister in charge of the policy sector. The regulation shall provide the procedure for the calculation of the turnover and may prescribe different methods for calculation of the turnover of parties to a concentration which operate in different sectors of economy.
[RT I 2006, 25, 186 – entry into force 01.07.2006]

§ 25.  Notification of concentrations

 (1) The Competition Authority shall be notified of a concentration subject to control before the entry into force of the concentration in adherence to the terms provided in §§ 26 and 27 of this Act, and after:
 1) entry into a merger agreement or performance of a transaction or other act for acquisition of parts of the undertaking;
 2) performance of a transaction or other act for acquisition of control;
 3) performance of a transaction or other act for acquisition of joint control;
 4) announcement of a public bid for securities.

 (2) The Competition Authority may be notified of a planned concentration subject to control pursuant to subsection 1 of § 21 of this Act also before a transaction or act for merger or acquisition of control is performed or a public bid is announced, if the parties to the concentration prove their intention to perform such act or transaction or if, in the case of a public bid, the parties to the concentration have notified of their intention to organise such bid in public.

 (3) The following shall notify of a concentration, based on subsection 1 of § 19 of this Act:
 1) the undertakings jointly if previously independent undertakings merge within the meaning of the Commercial Code or parts of undertakings are merged;
 2) the undertaking who acquires control of the whole or a part of another undertaking, or of several undertakings or parts thereof;
 3) the undertakings jointly who acquire control of the whole or a part of another undertaking, or of several undertakings or parts thereof;
 4) the natural person who acquires control of the whole or a part of another undertaking, or of several undertakings or parts thereof, provided that the natural person is already controlling at least one undertaking;
 5) the natural persons jointly who acquire control of the whole or a part of another undertaking, or of several undertakings or parts thereof, provided that such natural persons are already controlling at least one undertaking.

 (4) Credit institutions, financial institutions and insurers shall notify of a concentration after obtaining permission from the supervisory authority of the corresponding field.

 (5) Before notification of a concentration, a state fee for processing the notice of concentration shall be paid pursuant to the procedure provided by the State Fees Act.
[RT I 2006, 25, 186 – entry into force 01.07.2006]

§ 26.  Notice of concentration

 (1) A notice of concentration shall be submitted to the Competition Authority in writing and shall set out:
 1) information concerning each party to the concentration, including business names, registry codes, contact details and areas of activity;
 2) a description of the concentration;
 3) data concerning the turnovers of each party to the concentration during the preceding financial year;
 4) information concerning control exercised or holdings owned in other undertakings by the undertakings belonging to the same group as the parties to the concentration and specified in clauses 1–5 of subsection 1 of § 24 of this Act;
 5) information concerning goods markets, including information concerning the market shares, main competitors, buyers and the market shares of the competitors and buyers of the parties to the concentration, and concerning barriers to entry into or exit from the goods market;
 6) a description of the effect of the concentration on the goods market, prepared by the person submitting the notice;
 7) information concerning associations of undertakings in which at least one of the parties to the concentration is a member;
 8) restrictions on competition, if any, which are directly related to and necessary for giving effect to the concentration, and the reasons for applying such restrictions;
 9) information concerning other circumstances, if any, relating to the concentration, including proposals concerning the obligations directly related to the concentration;
 10) list of competition authorities of other states who have been or will be notified of the concentration.
[RT I, 05.07.2013, 1 – entry into force 15.07.2013]

 (2) A notice of concentration may be submitted to the Competition Authority in an abbreviated form, leaving out, from the requisite information set forth in subsection 1 of this section, the additional information on goods markets required by clause 5, provided that one of the following conditions has been met:
 1) a party to the concentration or an undertaking belonging to the same group with the party does not operate within the same goods market as another party to the concentration or an undertaking belonging to the same group with the party (there is no horizontal overlap of the goods markets) or in the previous or following affected market, in which the other party to the concentration or an undertaking belonging to the same group with the party operates (there is no vertical relationship between the goods markets);
 2) at least two parties to the concentration or undertakings belonging to the same group with the parties operate within the same goods market and their joint market share will not exceed 15 per cent after concentration, or one or several two parties to the concentration or undertakings belonging to the same group with the parties operate in the previous or following affected market, in which another party to the concentration or an undertaking belonging to the same group with the party operates, unless the individual market share of a party to the concentration or the joint market share of the parties to the concentration does not exceed 25 per cent;
 3) the parties to the concentration jointly establish a new undertaking within the meaning of subsection 2 of § 19 of this section and the new undertaking does not operate and has no intention to operate in Estonia;
 4) a party to the concentration acquires control over an undertaking over which the party, together with another undertaking, is already exercising joint control.

 (3) The following original documents or certified copies thereof shall be annexed to a notice of concentration:
 1) registry extracts concerning the parties to the concentration who have been entered in the registers of other countries;
 2) the documents on the basis of which the concentration is put into effect;
 3) the annual reports and annual accounts of the parties to the concentration for the financial year preceding the concentration;
 4) a document certifying the authority of the person submitting the notice;
 5) a document certifying payment of the state fee;
 6) analyses, reports, researches, reviews and other documents for evaluation or analysis of the concentration in relation to market shares, competition conditions, possible increase in sales or expansion into other markets, or general market conditions;
 7) a list of the documents annexed to the notice of concentration.

 (4) A notice shall contain the date of submission of the notice and the signature of the person submitting the notice.

 (5) The guidelines for the submission of notices of concentration shall be established by a regulation of the minister in charge of the policy sector.

 (6) If the notice does not conform to the requirements provided by subsections 1–4 of this section or the guideline specified in subsection 5 of this section, the Competition Authority shall set a term for elimination of the deficiencies of the notice of concentration.
[RT I 2007, 66, 408 – entry into force 01.01.2008]

 (7) If the Competition Authority sets a term for elimination of the deficiencies contained in a notice of concentration, the terms provided for in subsection 1 of § 27 of this Act begin to run as of the elimination of the deficiencies.
[RT I 2007, 66, 408 – entry into force 01.01.2008]

 (8) If the parties to a concentration fail to eliminate the deficiencies by the due date, the notice is deemed not to have been submitted.

 (9) The Competition Authority may release a party to a concentration from the obligation to submit some of the documents or information specified in subsection 1 or 3 of this section if such documents or information are not necessary for the proceedings concerning the concentration.
[RT I 2007, 66, 408 – entry into force 01.01.2008]

 (10) The person submitting a notice of concentration shall indicate information contained in the notice which the person deems to be a business secret. The fact of a concentration and the information provided for in clauses 1 and 4 of subsection 1 of this section shall not be deemed to be a business secret.
[RT I 2006, 25, 186 – entry into force 01.07.2006]

§ 27.  Proceedings concerning concentration

 (1) Within thirty calendar days as of the submission of a notice of concentration, the Competition Authority shall:
[RT I 2007, 66, 408 – entry into force 01.01.2008]
 1) make a decision to grant permission to concentrate if the concentration subject to control does not involve circumstances specified in subsections 3 or 4 of § 22 of this Act;
 2) make a decision to initiate supplementary proceedings in order to ascertain whether the concentration subject to control does or does not involve circumstances specified in subsections 3 or 4 of § 22 of this Act;
 3) make a decision if the concentration does not fall within the scope of subsection 1 or 2 of § 19 of this Act or is not subject to control pursuant to § 21 of this Act;
 4) terminate the proceedings by a decision if the parties to the concentration decide not to concentrate.

 (2) In the course of supplementary proceedings, the Competition Authority shall make one of the following decisions within four months of the beginning of the supplementary proceedings:
[RT I 2007, 66, 408 – entry into force 01.01.2008]
 1) to grant permission to concentrate if the concentration subject to control does not involve circumstances specified in subsections 3 or 4 of § 22 of this Act;
 2) to prohibit the concentrate if the concentration subject to control involves circumstances specified in subsections 3 or 4 of § 22 of this Act;
 3) terminate the proceedings if the parties to the concentration decide not to concentrate.

 (3) In order to avoid restriction of competition, the Competition Authority may grant permission to concentrate, provided that the parties to the concentration take upon themselves to perform the obligations which they have assumed.
[RT I 2007, 66, 408 – entry into force 01.01.2008]

 (4) Based on a reasoned written application of a party to a concentration, the Competition Authority may amend the conditions for performance of the obligations specified in subsection 3 of this section contained in the decision to grant permission to concentrate or to revoke such conditions if the situation on the goods market affected by the concentration has changed to a significant extent or another good reason exists therefor.
[RT I 2007, 66, 408 – entry into force 01.01.2008]

 (5) A concentration is permitted if the Competition Authority has not made one of the decisions provided for in subsection 1 and 2 of this section within the term specified in the same subsection.
[RT I 2007, 66, 408 – entry into force 01.01.2008]

 (6) A concentration subject to control pursuant to § 21 of this Act shall not be given effect before a decision to permit concentration has been made or if concentration is permitted pursuant to subsection 5 of this section.

 (6¹) The parties to a concentration must give effect to the concentration within six months from entry into force of the decision to grant permission to concentrate. Based on a reasoned application of a party to the concentration, the Competition Authority may extend the specified term once for up to one year.
[RT I, 05.07.2013, 1 – entry into force 15.07.2013]

 (6²) Restrictions on competition which are directly related to and necessary for giving effect to the concentration shall also be deemed to be permitted by the decision to grant permission to concentrate.
[RT I, 05.07.2013, 1 – entry into force 15.07.2013]

 (7) The provisions of subsection 6 of this section do not prohibit the last public bid of securities or performance of transactions with securities as a series, including securities interchangeable with other securities admitted to be traded on a securities market, whereby control is acquired from different sellers within the meaning of § 19 of this Act, provided that:
 1) the Competition Authority is immediately informed of the concentration pursuant to § 25 of this Act;
 2) the acquirer of the securities does not use the voting rights related to the acquired securities or uses such rights only with the aim to maintain the value of the investments.

 (8) Based on a reasoned application of the parties to a concentration, the Competition Authority may make an exception to the requirements specified in subsections 6 and 7 of this section and give permission to perform acts. In reviewing the application, the Competition Authority shall, among other, take into account the effect of the requested acts on one or several of the parties to the concentration or to a third party, and any dangers to competition resulting from the concentration. Upon giving permission, the Competition Authority may impose obligations related to the performance of acts on the parties to the concentration.
[RT I 2007, 66, 408 – entry into force 01.01.2008]

 (9) This section does not influence the validity of transactions with securities, including transactions with securities interchangeable with other securities admitted to be traded on a securities market, unless the buyer or seller knew or should have known that the transaction was performed in violation of the provisions of subsection 6 of this section.

 (10) If deficiencies in a notice of concentration become evident within the term specified in subsection 1 or 2 of this section, the Competition Authority shall inform the person who submitted the notice of concentration thereof in writing. The running of the term specified in subsection 1 or 2 of this section shall be suspended as of the day following the date on which the Competition Authority sent the letter until the time the deficiencies are eliminated.
[RT I 2007, 66, 408 – entry into force 01.01.2008]

 (11) If the parties to a concentration fail to submit necessary or additional information or materials within the term set by the Competition Authority, the running of the term specified in subsection 1 or 2 of this section shall be suspended as of the day following the date on which the Competition Authority sent the letter until the time the information or materials are submitted.
[RT I 2007, 66, 408 – entry into force 01.01.2008]

 (12) The Competition Authority shall publish a notice concerning receipt of a notice of concentration and the decisions made based on subsection 1 or 2 of this section in the publication Ametlikud Teadaanded. The notice to be published shall set forth the names and business names of the parties to the concentration, their countries of residence and the manner of concentration pursuant to the appropriate clause of subsection 1 of § 19 of this Act.

 (13) Interested parties have the right to submit opinions and objections to the Competition Authority within seven calendar days as of publication of a notice concerning receipt of a notice of concentration specified in subsection 12 of this section.
[RT I 2006, 25, 186 – entry into force 01.07.2006]

§ 28.  Assumption of obligation by party to concentration

  [RT I, 05.07.2013, 1 – entry into force 15.07.2013]

 (1) If the Competition Authority finds that the circumstances specified in subsections 3 or 4 of § 22 of this Act exist in relation to a concentration subject to proceedings, the parties to the concentration shall be informed thereof in writing promptly but not later than one month before the termination of the term of the supplementary proceeding. The notice shall indicate the term for submission of objections, or for making a proposal for assumption of the obligations provided in subsection 3 of § 27.

 (2) The parties to a concentration must describe the obligations assumed thereby in sufficient detail to enable the Competition Authority to determine the suitability of the assumed obligations in order to avoid restriction of competition on the goods market.

 (3) The Competition Authority shall prohibit a concentration based on subsection 3 of § 22 of this Act if, in the opinion of the Competition Authority, the assumed obligations are not suitable in order to avoid restriction of competition on the goods market and the parties to the concentration do not agree to change those obligations, or if the parties to the concentration have not made a proposal on assuming obligations within the term provided for in subsection 1 of this section.
[RT I 2007, 66, 408 – entry into force 01.01.2008]

 (3¹) If the obligations assumed on the basis of subsection 3 of this section require an additional analysis or the parties to the concentration agree to change or supplement the assumed obligations, the running of the term specified in subsection 2 of § 27 of this Act shall be suspended. Proceedings shall be suspended from the day following the day on which the Competition Authority sends a respective notice and the term provided for in subsection 2 of § 27 of this Act shall continue running from the date of receipt of the proposal for assumption of the obligation.
[RT I, 05.07.2013, 1 – entry into force 15.07.2013]

 (3²) Proceedings may be suspended once for up to two months on the basis provided for in subsection 3¹ of this section.
[RT I, 05.07.2013, 1 – entry into force 15.07.2013]

 (4) The parties to a concentration are required to inform the Competition Authority of performance of the assumed obligations within ten calendar days after the date of performance of the obligations or after the expiry of the term for performance of the obligations referred to in the decision concerning grant of permission to concentrate.

 (5) [Repealed – RT I, 05.07.2013, 1 – entry into force 15.07.2013]

§ 28¹.  Oral hearing

  At the request of a party to a concentration or the Competition Authority, a meeting shall be held for the oral hearing of the party to the concentration at the time and place determined by the Competition Authority. The person to be heard shall be notified of the meeting at least ten calendar days before the hearing. On the basis of a reasoned written request of the person summoned to the meeting, the Competition Authority may change the term or the place of the meeting. Upon agreement between the Competition Authority and the person to be heard, notification may be given orally.
[RT I, 05.07.2013, 1 – entry into force 15.07.2013]

§ 29.  Nullity of concentration

 (1) The Competition Authority may decide to revoke a decision to grant permission to concentrate if:
[RT I 2007, 66, 408 – entry into force 01.01.2008]
 1) the parties to the concentration submitted false, misleading or incomplete information which was a determining factor for the decision;
 2) the concentration was effected in violation of a term or other condition or obligation specified in this Act or the decision to grant permission to concentrate.

 (2) Revocation of permission to concentrate does not deprive the parties to the concentration of the right to apply for new permission to concentrate.
[RT I 2006, 25, 186 – entry into force 01.07.2006]

Chapter 6 STATE AID  

§ 30.  State aid

 (1) State aid shall be deemed to be the aid laid down in Article 107(1) of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union.
[RT I, 27.06.2012, 3 – entry into force 07.07.2012]

 (2) State aid shall be granted for the elimination of market failures during a specified term and to the extent necessary to achieve the objective specified in Article 107(2) and (3) of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union. State aid must have an incentive effect.
[RT I, 27.06.2012, 3 – entry into force 07.07.2012]

 (3) The provisions of this Chapter shall not apply to aid granted to the transport sector, aid related to the production, processing and marketing of agricultural products and forestry, and aid related to the production, processing and marketing of fishery products, taking account of the following specifications:
 1) the provisions of § 42, subsection 5 of § 49 and § 49² of this Act apply to aid granted to the transport sector;
 2) the provisions of subsection 5 of § 49 and § 49² of this Act apply to aid related to the production, processing and marketing of agricultural products and forestry regulated by the Rural Development and Agricultural Market Regulation Act, and to unlawful or misused state aid in agricultural sector and other state aid granted on the basis of the Rural Development and Agricultural Market Regulation Act also the provisions of § 42 apply;
 3) the provisions of subsection 5 of § 49 and §§ 42 and 49² of this Act apply to aid related to the production, processing and marketing of agricultural products and forestry regulated by the European Union Common Agricultural Policy Implementation Act;
[RT I, 23.11.2022, 2 – entry into force 01.01.2023]
 4) the provisions of subsection 5 of § 49 and § 49² of this Act apply to aid related to the production, processing and marketing of fishery products regulated by the Fisheries Market Organisation Act, and to unlawful or misused state aid to fisheries also the provisions of § 42 apply.
[RT I, 02.06.2021, 2 – entry into force 01.07.2021]

§ 30¹.  Grantor of state aid

 (1) The grantor of state aid shall be the state, local government or other body, including a foundation, non-profit association, legal person in public law, or public undertaking specified in subsection 3¹ of § 31 of this Act, which directly or indirectly uses the resources of the state or a local government for granting state aid.
[RT I, 27.06.2012, 3 – entry into force 07.07.2012]

 (1¹) Where it is not possible to clearly determine the grantor of state aid or the institutions which grant aid fail to reach an agreement with respect to the performance of obligations related to granting of state aid, the grantor of state aid shall be appointed by the Government of the Republic, by an order, based on the purpose of the aid, the field of grant of aid or other circumstances which affect the performance of obligations related to granting aid.
[RT I 2007, 60, 384 – entry into force 01.01.2008]

 (2) The grantor of state aid is required to ensure the transparency and efficiency of the grant of state aid and, after the grant of state aid, to inspect the purposefulness of use of state aid.
[RT I, 27.06.2012, 3 – entry into force 07.07.2012]

 (2¹) The grantor of state aid has no right to start granting state aid before the European Commission has made or is deemed to have made a permitting decision with respect to the notice on state aid specified in § 34¹ of this Act. The prohibition does not apply if state aid covered by group exemption is granted pursuant to the provisions of § 34².
[RT I 2007, 60, 384 – entry into force 01.01.2008]

 (2²) If the grantor of state aid has submitted a notice to the European Commission to obtain legal certainty, the grantor of state aid shall not start granting state aid before the European Commission has made or is deemed to have made a permitting decision with respect to the notice pursuant to subsection 2¹ of § 30¹ of this Act or a decision that there is no state aid. The provisions of § 34¹ of this Act shall apply to the notice.
[RT I, 27.06.2012, 3 – entry into force 07.07.2012]

 (3) The Ministry of Finance has the right to request from the grantor of state aid information about the performance of the duties specified in subsection 2 of this section.
[RT I 2007, 60, 384 – entry into force 01.01.2008]

§ 31.  Public undertaking and undertaking providing services of general economic interest

  [RT I, 27.06.2012, 3 – entry into force 07.07.2012]

 (1) [Repealed – RT I 2004, 25, 168 – entry into force 01.05.2004]

 (2) [Repealed – RT I 2004, 25, 168 – entry into force 01.05.2004]

 (3) [Repealed – RT I 2004, 25, 168 – entry into force 01.05.2004]

 (3¹) A public undertaking is an undertaking over which the state or a local government exercises a dominant influence either directly or indirectly by virtue of right of ownership or financial participation, on the basis of the legislation applicable to the person or in any other manner.

 (3²) An undertaking providing services of general economic interest is an undertaking to which the state or a local government has assigned the duty to provide a service of general economic interest which is not available on the market and the provision of which the state or the local government considers necessary. Services of general economic interest shall be defined and the duty to provide such services shall be established by legislation or a contract.
[RT I, 27.06.2012, 3 – entry into force 07.07.2012]

 (4) [Repealed – RT I 2004, 25, 168 – entry into force 01.05.2004]

 (5) [Repealed – RT I 2004, 25, 168 – entry into force 01.05.2004]

 (6) [Repealed – RT I 2004, 25, 168 – entry into force 01.05.2004]

§ 32.  [Repealed – RT I 2004, 25, 168 – entry into force 01.05.2004]

§ 33.  De minimis aid

 (1) De minimis aid is deemed to be the aid specified in Article 3 of Commission Regulation (EU) No 2023/2831 on the application of Articles 107 and 108 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union to de minimis aid (OJ L, 2023/2831, 15.12.2023) and Article 3 of Commission Regulation (EU) No 2023/2832 on the application of Articles 107 and 108 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union to de minimis aid granted to undertakings providing services of general economic interest (OJ L, 2023/2832, 15.12.2023).
[RT I, 18.12.2024, 1 – entry into force 28.12.2024]

 (2) It is not necessary to submit the notice on state aid specified in § 34¹ of this Act to the European Commission, in order to grant de minimis aid.

 (3) De minimis aid is granted pursuant to the procedure provided in Commission Regulations (EU) No 2023/2831 and (EU) No 2023/2832.
[RT I, 18.12.2024, 1 – entry into force 28.12.2024]

 (4) [Repealed – RT I 2007, 60, 384 – entry into force 01.01.2008, in force until 31.12.2011]

 (4¹) Upon the grant of de minimis aid, the grantor is required, before adopting the decision to grant de minimis aid, to notify the recipient of aid of the planned grant of de minimis aid and of the general principles provided in Commission Regulation (EU) No 2023/2831 or (EU) No 2023/2832. Where de minimis aid is granted under an aid scheme, the grantor of aid must refer to the relevant European Commission Regulation and provide other general principles provided in Commission Regulation (EU) No 2023/2831 or (EU) No 2023/2832 in the aid scheme.
[RT I, 18.12.2024, 1 – entry into force 28.12.2024]

 (4²) [Repealed – RT I, 27.06.2012, 3 – entry into force 07.07.2012, in force until 31.12.2012]

 (4³) [Repealed – RT I, 27.06.2012, 3 – entry into force 07.07.2012, in force until 31.12.2012]

 (4⁴) Upon the grant of de minimis aid, the grantor is required to indicate in the decision giving the recipient of aid the legal grounds to receive the aid, that the aid granted is de minimis aid within the meaning of Article 3 of Commission Regulation (EU) No 2023/2831 or Article 3 of Commission Regulation (EU) No 2023/2832, except in the case of tax-related aid for which there shall be no decision to grant aid.
[RT I, 18.12.2024, 1 – entry into force 28.12.2024]

 (5) A grantor shall check that the de minimis ceiling will not be exceeded by the new de minimis aid.
[RT I 2007, 60, 384 – entry into force 01.01.2008]

§ 34.  [Repealed – RT I 2007, 60, 384 – entry into force 01.01.2008]

§ 34¹.  Submission of notice on state aid to the European Commission

 (1) The grantor of state aid shall submit the notice on state aid complying with the Commission Regulation (EC) No 794/2004 implementing Council Regulation (EC) No 2015/1589 laying down detailed rules for the application of Article 108 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (OJ L 140, 30.4.2004, pp. 1–134) together with all necessary information in writing and by electronic means through the web-application prescribed by the European Commission to the Ministry of Finance for review.
[RT I, 20.12.2017, 2 – entry into force 30.12.2017]

 (2) If the notice on state aid complies with the requirements, the grantor of state aid shall forward this together with all necessary information through the web-application prescribed by the European Commission to the Permanent Representation of the Republic of Estonia to the European Union, which shall forward it to the European Commission.

 (3) The Ministry of Finance has the right to request the submission of additional information from the grantor of state aid or to make a proposal to supplement the notice on state aid within 10 working days as of the receipt of the notice if:
 1) in the opinion of the Ministry of Finance, the notice on state aid does not comply with the requirements;
 2) the grantor of state aid has failed to submit the required information in the notice on state aid; or
 3) there are deficiencies in the submitted information.
[RT I, 27.06.2012, 3 – entry into force 07.07.2012]

 (4) The grantor of state aid shall submit the additional information requested by the European Commission in the course of processing the notice on state aid by electronic means via the Ministry of Finance to the Permanent Representation of the Republic of Estonia to the European Union, which shall forward it to the European Commission.
[RT I 2007, 60, 384 – entry into force 01.01.2008]

 (5) If the grantor of state aid decides to withdraw the notice on state aid submitted to the European Commission, the grantor shall submit an application to the Ministry of Finance, which shall forward it to the Permanent Representation of the Republic of Estonia to the European Union, which shall forward it to the European Commission.
[RT I, 27.06.2012, 3 – entry into force 07.07.2012]

§ 34².  State aid covered by group exemption

 (1) State aid covered by group exemption shall be deemed to be the aid specified in Article 1 of Council Regulation (EU) No 2015/1588 on the Implementation of Articles 107 and 108 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union to certain categories of horizontal State aid (OJ L 248, 14.5.2015, p. 1-8), with regard to which the European Commission has adopted the corresponding group exemption regulation.
[RT I, 20.12.2017, 2 – entry into force 30.12.2017]

 (2) It is not necessary to submit the notice on state aid specified in § 341 of this Act to the European Commission, in order to grant state aid covered by group exemption.
[RT I 2007, 60, 384 – entry into force 01.01.2008]

 (2¹) Upon the grant of state aid covered by block exemption, the grantor of state aid is required to indicate in the decision granting the recipient of aid the legal grounds to receive the aid, that the aid granted is state aid covered by block exemption within the meaning of the Block Exemption Regulation of the European Commission, except in the case of tax-related aid for which there shall be no decision to grant aid.
[RT I, 20.12.2017, 2 – entry into force 30.12.2017]

 (2²) Upon the grant of state aid covered by block exemption, the grantor of state aid is required to notify the recipient of aid of the general principles provided for in the Block Exemption Regulation that apply to the aid granted to the recipient of aid. If state aid covered by block exemption is granted under an aid scheme, the grantor of aid shall refer to the corresponding Block Exemption Regulation of the European Commission and the corresponding Article of the Regulation and provide other appropriate general principles provided for in the Block Exemption Regulation in the aid scheme.
[RT I, 02.06.2021, 2 – entry into force 01.07.2021]

 (3) Upon the grant of state aid covered by block exemption, the grantor of state aid shall submit, not later than 10 working days before granting the individual state aid or implementation of the aid scheme, a summary information sheet concerning the grant of state aid covered by block exemption (hereinafter notice on block exemption) complying with the requirements set by the European Commission in writing and by electronic means through the web-application prescribed by the European Commission to the Ministry of Finance for review. The legislation or the draft legislation on the basis of which individual state aid is granted or an aid scheme is implemented and, if necessary, description of the aid proving the compliance of the planned state aid with the conditions prescribed in the Block Exemption Regulation of the European Commission shall be submitted to the Ministry of Finance together with the notice on block exemption.
[RT I, 27.06.2012, 3 – entry into force 07.07.2012]

 (4) [Repealed – RT I 2007, 60, 384 – entry into force 01.01.2008]

 (5) [Repealed – RT I 2007, 60, 384 – entry into force 01.01.2008]

 (6) [Repealed – RT I 2007, 60, 384 – entry into force 01.01.2008]

 (7) If the notice on group exemption complies with the requirements, the grantor of state aid shall forward this to the Permanent Representation of the Republic of Estonia to the European Union, which shall forward it to the European Commission.
[RT I 2007, 60, 384 – entry into force 01.01.2008]

 (7¹) The Ministry of Finance has the right to request the submission of additional information from the grantor of state aid or to make a proposal to supplement the notice on block exemption within 10 working days as of the receipt of the notice on block exemption if:
 1) in the opinion of the Ministry of Finance, the notice on block exemption does not comply with the requirements;
 2) the grantor of state aid has failed to submit the required information in the notice on block exemption; or
 3) there are deficiencies in the submitted information.
[RT I, 27.06.2012, 3 – entry into force 07.07.2012]

 (8) The notice on group exemption shall be forwarded to the European Commission not later than within 20 days of granting individual state aid or the commencement of implementation of a state aid scheme.
[RT I 2007, 60, 384 – entry into force 01.01.2008]

 (9) The provisions of subsections 2¹, 3 and 7–8 of this section do not apply to state aid covered by block exemption which is exempted from the obligation to submit a notice on block exemption pursuant to the Block Exemption Regulation specified in subsection 1 of this section.
[RT I, 23.11.2022, 1 – entry into force 01.01.2023, applied retroactively as of 01.01.2022]

§ 35. – § 41. [Repealed – RT I 2004, 25, 168 – entry into force 01.05.2004]

§ 42.  Recovery of unlawful state aid or misused state aid

 (1) The aid defined in Article 1.f of the Council Regulation (EU) No 2015/1589 laying down detailed rules for the application of Article 108 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (coded text) (OJ L 248, 24.09.2015 pp. 9-29) is deemed to be unlawful state aid.
[RT I, 20.12.2017, 2 – entry into force 30.12.2017]

 (2) The activity specified in Article 1(g) of the Council Regulation (EU) No 2015/1589 is deemed to be misuse of state aid.
[RT I, 20.12.2017, 2 – entry into force 30.12.2017]

 (3) If the European Commission or the Court of Justice of the European Union has forwarded a decision to the Republic of Estonia concerning the recovery of unlawful or misused state aid from the recipient of state aid, this decision shall be forwarded to the grantor of unlawful state aid or misused state aid. The grantor of state aid is required to demand recovery of state aid with interest from the recipient of state aid pursuant to the decision of the European Commission or the Court of Justice of the European Union.
[RT I, 02.06.2021, 2 – entry into force 01.07.2021]

 (4) If the grantor of state aid itself has established that state aid granted is unlawful or misused, the grantor of state aid shall demand recovery of state aid from the recipient of state aid on its own initiative. The grantor of state aid shall demand recovery of unlawful or misused state aid with interest.
[RT I, 02.06.2021, 2 – entry into force 01.07.2021]

 (5) The grantor of state aid shall not be required to demand recovery of state aid if the European Commission has declared ex post facto with its corresponding decision that unlawfully granted state aid is compatible with the internal market.
[RT I, 02.06.2021, 2 – entry into force 01.07.2021]

 (6) Interest shall be calculated from the payment of state aid or otherwise making available of state aid to the recipient of state aid until the date of the actual recovery of state aid in accordance with Article 9 of Commission Regulation (EC) No 794/2004, the interest rate communicated to the Member States on the basis of Article 10 and the method of applying interest specified in Article 11 of the same Regulation.
[RT I, 02.06.2021, 2 – entry into force 01.07.2021]

 (7) In the case specified in subsection 4 of this section, the recipient of state aid shall repay the state aid to be repaid with interest to the grantor of state aid immediately but not later than four months after receipt of the claim for recovery of state aid. In exceptional and justified cases, the grantor of state aid may extend the term for recovery.
[RT I, 02.06.2021, 2 – entry into force 01.07.2021]

 (8) The grantor of state aid has the right to demand recovery of unlawful or misused state aid within ten years. The term shall commence as of the date on which unlawful or misused state aid was granted to the recipient of state aid as individual aid or under an aid scheme.
[RT I, 02.06.2021, 2 – entry into force 01.07.2021]

 (9) In the case specified in subsection 5 of this section, the grantor of state aid shall demand from the recipient of state aid interest on unlawful state aid for the period from the payment of unlawful state aid or otherwise making available to the recipient of state aid until declaration of state aid compatible with the internal market.
[RT I, 02.06.2021, 2 – entry into force 01.07.2021]

 (10) In the case specified in subsection 5 of this section, the recipient of state aid shall pay interest according to the interest rate calculated on the basis of subsection 6 and the method of applying specified in the same subsection within the term provided for in subsection 7 of this section.
[RT I, 02.06.2021, 2 – entry into force 01.07.2021]

 (11) The claim for recovery of unlawful or misused state aid is an enforcement instrument within the meaning of clause 21 of subsection 1 of § 2 of the Code of Enforcement Procedure. If state aid to be repaid is not repaid within the term, the grantor of state aid shall submit the claim for the recovery of unlawful or misused state aid for compulsory enforcement pursuant to the procedure provided for in the Code of Enforcement Procedure.
[RT I, 02.06.2021, 2 – entry into force 01.07.2021]

§ 43. – § 48. [Repealed – RT I 2004, 25, 168 – entry into force 01.05.2004]

§ 49.  Reporting on state aid

 (1) The Ministry of Finance shall prepare reports on state aid provided in Chapter III of Commission Regulation (EC) No 794/2004 in the web-application prescribed by the European Commission and shall submit the reports annually no later than on 30 June through the web-application to the Permanent Representation of the Republic of Estonia to the European Union, which shall forward it to the European Commission. The Ministry of Finance shall use data from the register specified in § 49² of this Act to prepare the reports.
[RT I, 20.12.2017, 2 – entry into force 30.12.2017]

 (2) If the European Commission has established an obligation with its decision to the grantor of state aid to submit an additional report on the relevant state aid to the Commission or if the Commission requires additional reporting concerning the granted state aid from the grantor of state aid, the grantor of state aid shall submit this to the Ministry of Finance by 30 April each year or not later than 10 working days before the due date specified in the decision of the European Commission.
[RT I, 27.06.2012, 3 – entry into force 07.07.2012]

 (3) [Repealed – RT I 2007, 60, 384 – entry into force 01.01.2008, in force until 31.12.2011]

 (3¹) [Repealed – RT I, 20.12.2017, 1 – entry into force 30.12.2017]

 (4) The Ministry of Finance shall forward the reports specified in subsection 2 of this section by electronic means to the Permanent Representation of the Republic of Estonia to the European Union, which shall forward these to the European Commission not later than on 30 June or the due date determined by the Commission.
[RT I, 20.12.2017, 2 – entry into force 30.12.2017]

 (5) The Ministry of Finance submits an overview of state aid and de minimis aid granted in Estonia to the Government of the Republic once a year. The overview does not include state aid which is exempted from the obligation to submit a notice on block exemption pursuant to the Block Exemption Regulation specified in subsection 1 of § 34² of this Act.
[RT I, 23.11.2022, 1 – entry into force 01.01.2023, applied retroactively as of 01.01.2022]

§ 49¹.  Co-operation with European Commission as regards supervision and on-site inspections

 (1) The Ministry of Finance shall provide assistance, if necessary, to the European Commission as regards supervision over the state aid and on-site inspections.

 (2) In the case specified in Article 27 (6) of Council Regulation (EU) No 2015/1589, the minister in charge of the policy sector or a person authorised by him or her for such purpose shall submit a written application to the Administrative Court of Tallinn for permission to the officials authorised by the European Commission to conduct inspection. An authorisation specifying the reason and purpose of the inspection shall also be submitted to the Administrative Court of Tallinn together with the application for permission.
[RT I, 20.12.2017, 2 – entry into force 30.12.2017]

 (3) The grant of permission specified in subsection 2 of this section shall be decided pursuant to the provisions of the Code of Administrative Court Procedure concerning the grant of permission to take administrative measures.
[RT I, 23.02.2011, 3 – entry into force 01.01.2012]

§ 49².  Register of state aid and de minimis aid

 (1) The register of state aid and de minimis aid (hereinafter register) is a national register established by the Government of the Republic in which records of the grant and use of state aid and de minimis state aid shall be maintained.

 (2) The register and its statutes shall be established and the processor shall be appointed by a regulation of the Government of the Republic on the proposal of the minister in charge of the policy sector.
[RT I, 13.03.2019, 2 – entry into force 15.03.2019]

 (2¹) The controller of the register is the Ministry of Finance.
[RT I, 13.03.2019, 2 – entry into force 15.03.2019]

 (2²) The following personal data shall be processed in the register: name, personal identification code and residence (city, rural municipality).
[RT I, 13.03.2019, 2 – entry into force 15.03.2019]

 (2³) The supporting documents of data from the register and data from the register shall be preserved for ten years from grant of individual aid or grant of last aid under an aid scheme. Data are deleted after this term has passed.
[RT I, 13.03.2019, 2 – entry into force 15.03.2019]

 (3) Grantors of state aid and de minimis aid are required to submit information concerning all the state aid and de minimis aid granted by them to the register.
[RT I, 27.06.2012, 3 – entry into force 07.07.2012]

 (3¹) The Ministry of Regional Affairs and Agriculture submits to the register the amount of de minimis aid planned by the grantors of the aid which is specified in subsection 3 of § 20 of the Rural Development and Agricultural Market Regulation Act and subsection 4 of § 64 of the Fisheries Market Organisation Act pursuant to the procedure provided by the said Acts.
[RT I, 18.12.2024, 1 – entry into force 28.12.2024]

 (3²) The Ministry of Finance shall submit data on the granted state aid to the Transparency Award Module created by the European Commission on the basis of the register and to the extent requested by the Commission.
[RT I, 20.12.2017, 2 – entry into force 30.12.2017]

 (4) The provisions of subsections 3 and 3² of this section shall not apply to the state aid specified in clauses 2 and 3 of subsection 3 of § 30 of this Act, unless such aid is granted in the cases specified in §§ 34¹ and 34² of this Act.
[RT I, 20.12.2017, 2 – entry into force 30.12.2017]

 (5) The provisions of subsection 3 of this section do not apply to state aid covered by block exemption which is exempted from the obligation to submit a notice on block exemption pursuant to the Block Exemption Regulation specified in subsection 1 of § 34² of this Act.
[RT I, 23.11.2022, 1 – entry into force 01.01.2023, applied retroactively as of 01.01.2022]

Chapter 7 UNFAIR COMPETITION  
[Repealed - RT I, 07.12.2018, 2 - entry into force 17.12.2018]

§ 50.  Prohibition on unfair competition

  [Repealed – RT I, 07.12.2018, 2 – entry into force 17.12.2018]

§ 51.  Publication of misleading information, presentation or ordering of misleading information for publication, or disparagement of competitor or goods of competitor

  [Repealed – RT I, 07.12.2018, 2 – entry into force 17.12.2018]

§ 52.  Misuse of confidential information or of employee or representative of another undertaking

  [Repealed – RT I, 07.12.2018, 2 – entry into force 17.12.2018]

§ 53.  Ascertainment of unfair competition

  [Repealed – RT I, 07.12.2018, 2 – entry into force 17.12.2018]

Chapter 7¹ SUPERVISION FEE  
[RT I, 30.12.2021, 1 - entry into force 01.01.2022]

§ 53¹.  Supervision fee and calculation thereof

 (1) Undertakings operating in markets regulated by specific Acts shall pay the supervision fee prescribed in this Chapter to the Competition Authority.

 (2) For the purposes of this Chapter, specific Acts are the Electricity Market Act, the District Heating Act, the Aviation Act, the Natural Gas Act, the Postal Act, the Ports Act and the Public Water Supply and Sewerage Act.

 (3) Supervision exercised by the Competition Authority over the markets regulated by the specific Acts in order to ensure the provision of continuous, safe and high-quality services to consumers for an economically justified price and, at the same time, to promote sustainable development of such markets shall be financed from the received supervision fees. The Competition Authority shall ensure the separation of costs of its areas of activity.

 (4) Undertakings whose prices and fees of services are approved by the Competition Authority shall pay the supervision fee according to the sales revenue indicated in an administrative act issued in respect of each network area or licensed territory at the rate of the supervision fee provided for in § 53² of this Act.
[RT I, 22.09.2022, 1 – entry into force 01.07.2024; entry into force changed [RT I, 02.05.2024, 2]]

 (5) The following are deemed to be undertakings specified in subsection 4 of this section:
 1) network operators and producers of thermal energy for the purposes of the District Heating Act who have the obligation to obtain an approval for the price;
 2) network operators for the purposes of the Electricity Market Act who have the obligation to obtain an approval for the network charges;
 3) network operators for the purposes of the Natural Gas Act who have the obligation to obtain an approval for the price of network services;
 4) water undertakings and persons with regard to whom the requirements and obligations provided for in respect of water undertakings in the Public Water Supply and Sewerage Act apply who have the obligation to obtain an approval for the price of water services;
 5) [repealed – RT I, 22.09.2022, 1 – entry into force 01.07.2024; entry into force changed [RT I, 02.05.2024, 2]]

 (6) Where an undertaking specified clause 1 of subsection 5 of this section has obtained an approval for the price on the basis of a price formula, the sales revenue which constitutes as the basis for the supervision fee shall be calculated according to the administrative decision issued on 15 July of the preceding calendar year concerning the approval of the price.
[RT I, 03.03.2023, 2 – entry into force 01.01.2024]

 (7) If the Competition Authority exercises supervision over undertakings to the extent provided by law without approving the prices and fees of services, such undertakings shall pay supervision fee according to the sales revenue of services on the market regulated by a specific Act.

 (8) The following are deemed to be undertakings specified in subsection 7 of this section:
 1) universal postal service providers;
 2) airport managing bodies;
 3) port authorities;
 4) liquefied gas terminal operators.
[RT I, 09.08.2022, 1 – entry into force 19.08.2022]

 (9) An undertaking specified in subsection 5 or 8 of this section with the obligation to pay the supervision fee (hereinafter financing obligation) who has terminated the provision of services shall be released from the financing obligation.

 (10) If an undertaking with financing obligation specified in subsection 5 or 8 of this section has transferred the provision of services to another undertaking, the financing obligation shall transfer to the undertaking who took over the provision of services.

 (11) If necessary, the Competition Authority shall have the right to demand from a person with the financing obligation additional information, documents and written explanations for the calculation of the supervision fee.

§ 53².  Rate of supervision fee

 (1) The rate of the supervision fee for an undertaking with the financing obligation specified in subsection 5 or clause 1 of subsection 8 of § 53¹ of this Act shall be 0.2 per cent of the sales revenue indicated in the administrative act issued to the undertaking.

 (2) The rate of the supervision fee for an undertaking with the financing obligation specified in clauses 2–4 of subsection 8 of § 53¹ of this Act is 0.02 per cent according to the sales revenue of services on the market regulated by a specific Act.
[RT I, 09.08.2022, 1 – entry into force 19.08.2022]

§ 53³.  Payment of supervision fee and term for payment

 (1) Supervision fee shall be paid once per calendar year.

 (2) The supervision fee for an undertaking specified in subsection 5 of § 53¹ of this Act is calculated on the basis of an administrative decision issued on 15 July of the preceding calendar year.
[RT I, 03.03.2023, 2 – entry into force 01.01.2024]

 (3) In the case of a universal postal service provider specified in clause 1 of subsection 8 of § 53¹ of this Act, the Competition Authority shall calculate the supervision fee and issue a corresponding order on the basis of a declaration on revenue and cost accounting submitted by the postal service provider once per quarter pursuant to the Postal Act.

 (4) An airport managing body specified in clause 2 and a liquefied gas terminal operator specified in clause 3 of subsection 8 of § 53¹ of this Act submit a declaration according to the sales revenue of services on the market regulated by a specific Act to the Competition Authority within two weeks after expiry of the term for submitting an annual report. Where the financial year does not coincide with the calendar year, the declaration is submitted no later than on 15 July each calendar year.
[RT I, 09.08.2022, 1 – entry into force 19.08.2022]

 (5) In order to receive the supervision fee, the Competition Authority shall notify undertakings of a corresponding order indicating the applicable rate of the supervision fee, the amount of the payable supervision fee and the due date no later than on 31 August of each calendar year.

 (6) Supervision fee is paid each calendar year no later than on 30 September.

 (7) Supervision fee is paid into the state budget.

 (8) Upon the expiry of a financing obligation, the supervision fee shall not be refunded.

§ 53⁴.  Consequences of failure to pay supervision fee

  The order specified in subsection 5 of § 53³ of this Act is an enforcement instrument for the purposes of clause 21 of subsection 1 of § 2 of the Code of Enforcement Procedure. If a person required to pay the supervision fee fails to pay the fee within the term prescribed in the order, the Competition Authority shall have the right to implement compulsory enforcement pursuant to the procedure provided for in the Code of Enforcement Procedure.
[RT I, 30.12.2021, 1 – entry into force 01.01.2022]

Chapter 7² COMPETITION SUPERVISION PROCEEDINGS 
[RT I, 05.07.2025, 1 - entry into force 06.07.2025]

§ 53⁵.  Scope of regulation this Chapter and general bases for competition supervision proceedings

 (1) This Chapter provides the principles, bases and organisation of competition supervision proceedings.

 (2) Competition supervision proceedings are administrative proceedings to which the Administrative Procedure Act applies with the specifications provided in this Chapter.

 (3) The purpose of competition supervision proceedings is to find that a prohibited act has been committed and, where appropriate, to apply competition supervision measures to the undertaking or association of undertakings which has committed the prohibited act in order to restore and maintain undistorted competition.

 (4) The competition supervision measures include the approval of the assumption of an obligation and the termination of the commission of the prohibited act.

 (5) Competition supervision proceedings are conducted and competition supervision measures are determined by the Competition Authority. The Director General of the Competition Authority approves the list of positions in which officials are competent to conduct competition supervision proceedings on behalf of the Competition Authority.

 (6) In order to ensure compliance with Chapters 2 and 4 of this Act and Articles 101 and 102 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, the Competition Authority has the right to set priorities upon conducting competition supervision proceedings, taking into account:
 1) the purpose provided in subsection 3 of this section;
 2) effective use of its resources;
 3) the nature, extent and impact of the prohibited act constituting the subject of the proceedings on the competitive situation, and the resulting public interest.
[RT I, 05.07.2025, 1 – entry into force 06.07.2025]

§ 53⁶.  Commencement, grounds for refusal to initiate and termination of competition supervision proceedings

 (1) Competition supervision proceedings commence:
 1) by the performance of the first procedural act by the Competition Authority, where the information that has become evident indicates that a prohibited act has been committed; or
 2) by declaring admissible an application for the termination of the commission of a prohibited act specified in § 53⁷ of this Act.

 (2) The Competition Authority does not initiate or terminates competition supervision proceedings without applying a competition supervision measure where:
 1) conducting competition supervision proceedings is not a priority in order to ensure compliance with Chapters 2 and 4 of this Act and Articles 101 and 102 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union;
 2) this is based on Council Regulation (EC) No 1/2003;
 3) there are no elements of a prohibited act in the activities of the undertaking or association of undertakings;
 4) the undertaking or association of undertakings having committed a prohibited act as the information indicates, is dead or has ceased to exist.

 (3) The Competition Authority may terminate competition supervision proceedings by finding that a prohibited act has been committed in the past without applying a competition supervision measure.

 (4) Where competition supervision proceedings have been initiated on the basis of clause 2 of subsection 1 of this section and the proceedings are terminated on the basis of clauses 1–3 of subsection 2, the Competition Authority issues an administrative decision to that effect.

 (5) Where the Competition Authority decides, after informing the European Commission pursuant to Article 11(3) of Council Regulation (EC) No 1/2003, to terminate competition supervision proceedings on the basis of clause 3 of subsection 2 of this section, it informs the European Commission thereof.

 (6) Where the basis for the termination of competition supervision proceedings specified in clauses 1–3 of subsection 2 of this section has ceased to exist, the Competition Authority may resume the proceedings on its own initiative or on the basis of a request by a party to the proceedings under the conditions provided in subsection 1 of § 44 of the Administrative Procedure Act.
[RT I, 05.07.2025, 1 – entry into force 06.07.2025]

§ 53⁷.  Application to cease commission of prohibited act

 (1) A person may, by written application, request the Competition Authority to order a person committing a prohibited act to cease the commission of the prohibited act significantly affecting the rights of the applicant. However, the person does not have the right to demand that the commission of the prohibited act be ceased in a specific manner, including the application of a provisional competition supervision measure.

 (2) A written application submitted to the Competition Authority (hereinafter application) to cease the commission of a prohibited act must contain the following information:
 1) the name, personal identification code or registration number, address and other contact details of the applicant;
 2) information enabling the identification of the undertaking or association of undertakings allegedly committing the prohibited act;
 3) a detailed description of the prohibited act, including information on the affected goods and the geographical scope, time and manner of the commission of the prohibited act;
 4) a justification showing how the commission of the prohibited act is significantly affecting the rights of the applicant and why the applicant cannot protect their rights in an equivalent manner in civil proceedings.
[RT I, 05.07.2025, 1 – entry into force 06.07.2025]

§ 53⁸.  Admissibility of application

 (1) The Competition Authority declares an application specified in § 53⁷ of this Act admissible, unless there is a reason to refuse to review it.

 (2) In addition to the provisions of the Administrative Procedure Act, the Competition Authority refuses to review an application specified in § 78¹⁵ of this Act where:
 1) the application is clearly unjustified, including cases where the rights of the applicant are clearly not affected or there is no repeated violation;
 2) the applicant has an equivalent possibility to defend their rights in civil proceedings.
[RT I, 05.07.2025, 1 – entry into force 06.07.2025]

§ 53⁹.  Persons under supervision and their rights and obligations

 (1) In competition supervision proceedings, a person under supervision is an undertaking or an association of undertakings which the Competition Authority involves in the proceedings in the case it suspects that the undertaking or association of undertakings has committed a prohibited act constituting the subject of the proceedings. The person under supervision cannot be a natural person, except for a self-employed person.

 (2) The behaviour of another person and the circumstances and knowledge arising from that other person are attributed to a person under supervision in the case that other person is a body, a member or an employee of the person under supervision or any other person competent to act on behalf or in the interests of the person under supervision. This other person is not a person under supervision in competition supervision proceedings.

 (3) The person under supervision is immediately informed of the initiation of competition supervision proceedings.

 (4) The person under supervision is not informed of the initiation of competition supervision proceedings:
 1) in the case it would jeopardise the collection of evidence by search; or
 2) in the case the Competition Authority terminates the proceedings before applying the first investigative measure to the person under supervision on the basis provided in clause 1 of subsection 2 of § 536 of this Act and informing the person would jeopardise the further collection of evidence.

 (5) A person under supervision is informed of competition supervision proceedings terminated on the basis of clause 1 of subsection 2 of § 53⁶ of this Act no later than five years after the termination of the competition supervision proceedings.

 (6) When informing a person under supervision of the initiation of competition supervision proceedings, the person is informed of their rights and obligations. At the request of the person, the content of these rights and obligations is explained to the person.

 (7) In competition supervision proceedings, a person under supervision has the right to:
 1) the conduct of proceedings in a manner which respects the fundamental rights of the person, including within a reasonable time;
 2) receive and provide information in a language which the person understands about the prohibited act constituting the subject of the proceedings;
 3) know that the information provided by the person may be used in the competition supervision proceedings and misdemeanour proceedings against them;
 4) refuse to provide information which would make the person admit committing a prohibited act or incriminate the person in committing a criminal offence;
 5) refuse to provide information to the extent that the person under supervision would disclose confidential information exchanged between the person and their contractual representative or a representative appointed under the rules of state-funded legal aid or other external legal adviser meeting the educational requirements specified in subsection 3 of § 53¹¹ of this Act in the course of competition supervision proceedings or earlier confidential information exchanged in relation to the subject of the same proceedings, or disclose information protected by attorney-client privilege to the extent provided in subsection 2 of § 43 and § 45 of the Bar Association Act;
 6) the assistance of an interpreter or a translator under the conditions provided in the Administrative Procedure Act and this Chapter;
 7) the assistance of a contractual representative or a representative appointed under the rules of state-funded legal aid;
 8) state-funded legal aid on the bases and under the conditions provided in the State-funded Legal Aid Act;
 9) know the purpose of investigative measures;
 10) examine the record of the investigative measure applied to the person and make statements on the conditions, course and results of that investigative measure, which are recorded;
 11) submit evidence and requests;
 12) to be heard in a language which the person understands before the application of a provisional competition supervision measure terminating the competition supervision proceedings in accordance with the procedure provided in this Chapter;
 13) examine the materials in the procedural file under the conditions provided in this Chapter;
 14) be present when the Competition Authority unseals a data medium taken or copied pursuant to the procedure provided in clause 2 of subsection 4 of § 53¹⁵ of this Act, to be given the opportunity within a reasonable time to indicate confidential exchange of information and information protected by attorney-client privilege specified in clause 5 of this subsection and information that is clearly irrelevant pursuant to the procedure specified by the Competition Authority, and also to be present during further review of the information.

 (8) A person under supervision is required to tolerate investigative measures applied to them on the basis and pursuant to the procedure provided in this Chapter.

 (9) A natural person under supervision has the right to refuse to provide information which could incriminate the person or their close person specified in subsection 1 of § 257 of the Code of Civil Procedure in committing a prohibited act or any offence.

 (10) A person under supervision does not have the right to refuse to provide the Competition Authority with data and documents the collection and storage of which is mandatory for the person under supervision on the basis of law.

 (11) Where it becomes evident in the course of competition supervision proceedings that a person has been wrongly included as a person under supervision, that person is excluded from the circle of persons under supervision. The Competition Authority immediately informs the person thereof.
[RT I, 05.07.2025, 1 – entry into force 06.07.2025]

§ 53¹⁰.  Parties to proceedings

 (1) Parties to competition supervision proceedings are:
 1) an applicant for the purposes of § 53⁷ of this Act;
 2) a person under supervision;
 3) any other market participant whose rights may be substantially affected by a competition supervision measure and who has been included in the proceedings by the Competition Authority.

 (2) Where the Competition Authority finds that the commission of a prohibited act has been ceased, the applicant is excluded from the circle of parties to the proceedings. Prior to that, the Competition Authority gives the applicant the opportunity to submit their opinion and objections.
[RT I, 05.07.2025, 1 – entry into force 06.07.2025]

§ 53¹¹.  Representation

 (1) Where a party to the proceedings or any other person subject to an investigative measure is a legal person, it participates in the competition supervision proceedings through its legal representative who has all the procedural rights and obligations of the person represented.

 (2) A party to the proceedings and any other person subject to an investigative measure may, in the course of the competition supervision proceedings, use the assistance of a representative, among other things, upon application of the investigative measure. Where the Competition Authority requests information from a person orally through interview, the representative of the person may be present at the interview and advise the person represented but may not provide information on behalf of the person represented.

 (3) A contractual representative in competition supervision proceedings may be an attorney or any other person who has acquired at least an officially recognised Master's degree in the study of law, an equivalent qualification for the purposes of subsection 2² of § 28 of the Republic of Estonia Education Act or an equivalent foreign qualification. The authorisation of a contractual representative is certified by an authorisation document. An attorney is presumed to have the right of representation.

 (4) An attorney may not be required by a request for information to provide the Competition Authority with information or access to information protected by attorney-client privilege to the extent provided in subsection 2 of § 43 and § 45 of the Bar Association Act, unless the Competition Authority has good reason to believe that the attorney, an employee of a law firm or an employee of the Bar Association has committed a prohibited act and the information protected by attorney-client privilege may be related to the competition supervision proceedings.

 (5) The Competition Authority may submit a request for information to an attorney on the basis of subsection 4 of this section with the prior permission of an administrative court granted on the basis of the provisions of the Code of Administrative Court Procedure on the grant of permission for an administrative operation. The permission of an administrative court must state the information that may be protected by the attorney-client privilege, that must be disclosed in response to the request for information and the measures that must be taken to avoid unjustified disclosure of information protected by attorney-client privilege.
[RT I, 05.07.2025, 1 – entry into force 06.07.2025]

§ 53¹².  Procedural file and right of access thereto

 (1) A procedural file contains all information on the prohibited act constituting the subject of competition supervision proceedings in chronological order, including the time, source and manner of obtaining the information received, prepared or collected by the Competition Authority in the competition supervision proceedings.

 (2) A procedural file is maintained in Estonian. Information in a foreign language may be included in the procedural file only together with a translation into Estonian, unless the translation would be clearly disproportionate in view of the content and volume of the document.

 (3) An applicant for the purposes of § 53⁷ of this Act has the right to request access to information on the basis of which the Competition Authority has decided to terminate competition supervision proceedings on the basis provided in clause 3 of subsection 2 of § 53⁶. The Competition Authority refuses to grant the applicant access to business secrets or other confidential information.

 (4) The Competition Authority makes the procedural file available to the person under supervision at the latest together with the opportunity to submit their opinion and objections.
[RT I, 05.07.2025, 1 – entry into force 06.07.2025]

§ 53¹³.  Obligation to maintain confidentiality

 (1) A person under supervision who has been granted access to the procedural file must maintain the confidentiality of the information obtained from the leniency application and the settlement submission. This information may be used by the person under supervision, in addition to the competition supervision proceedings in the course of which access to the file was granted, only for the purpose of representing or defending themselves in legal proceedings directly related to the same competition supervision proceedings.

 (2) The subject of legal proceedings specified in subsection 1 of this section may be:
 1) the allocation of the fine imposed jointly and severally on the persons who participated in the commission of the prohibited act provided in § 4 of this Act or in Article 101 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union;
 2) contesting the administrative act finding a prohibited act;
 3) punishment of a person under supervision for a misdemeanour relating to competition.

 (3) Prior to the termination of competition supervision proceedings by the Competition Authority, a party to the proceedings is prohibited from using in legal proceedings the following information obtained in the course of the competition supervision proceedings:
 1) information prepared by any other person for the purposes of the competition supervision proceedings;
 2) information prepared by the Competition Authority in the course of the competition supervision proceedings and sent to the parties to the proceedings;
 3) settlement submissions in the competition supervision proceedings which have been withdrawn.

 (4) The contractual representative or the representative appointed under the rules of state-funded legal aid of a party to the proceedings and of any other person subject to an investigative measure is obliged to maintain the confidentiality of the information of which they have become aware upon the provision of legal aid in the course of the competition supervision proceedings. The representative of a person under supervision is allowed to disclose this information to the person represented. The representative may disclose information concerning the person represented only with the consent of the person represented.

 (5) A non-party who has access on any basis to non-public data related to the competition supervision proceedings may disclose the data of the competition supervision proceedings only with the prior permission of and to the extent specified by the Competition Authority.
[RT I, 05.07.2025, 1 – entry into force 06.07.2025]

§ 53¹⁴.  Investigative measures

 (1) Based on the objective provided in subsection 3 of § 53⁵ of this Act, the Competition Authority may apply the investigative measures provided in §§ 53¹⁵ and 53¹⁷ for the purpose of collecting evidence.

 (2) The Competition Authority may issue orders for the application of an investigative measure.

 (3) Where, in the application of an investigative measure, the Competition Authority has the right to access or collect information, this includes any information, regardless of the data medium. The Competition Authority does not have the right to request access to confidential information exchanged between a person under supervision and their contractual representative or a representative appointed under the rules of state-funded legal aid or other external legal adviser meeting the educational requirements specified in subsection 3 of § 53¹¹ of this Act in the course of competition supervision proceedings or earlier confidential information exchanged in relation to the subject of the same proceedings, and to information protected by attorney-client privilege to the extent provided in subsection 2 of § 43 and § 45 of the Bar Association Act.

 (4) The Competition Authority maintains records of the time and place of the application of an investigative measure, the details of the officials of the Competition Authority who participated in the investigative measure and of other persons present, as well as the course and the immediate results of the investigative measure. In addition to written documents, images and sound and video recordings can also be used as a record. The person subject to the investigative measure is given access to the record and is allowed to make statements on the conditions, course and results of the application of the investigative measure, which are recorded by the Competition Authority.

 (5) A record of an investigative measure is deemed equivalent to minutes for the purposes of § 18 of the Administrative Procedure Act.

 (6) The Competition Authority may involve in the application of an investigative measure:
 1) a specialist whose skills are required to apply the investigative measure or to assess the information collected;
 2) the police in the case it is necessary for the achievement of the purpose of an investigative measure provided in § 53¹⁵ of this Act, including for the preparation or application of an investigative measure, for ensuring safety or the application of direct coercion.

 (7) In the application of an investigative measure, the person subject to the investigative measure is presented with the permission of the court, where this is necessary for the application of the measure, with the purpose of the measure and its intended course, as well as with the procedural roles, rights and obligations of the persons involved in the measure, and warned of the liability for the breach of obligations. Where the purpose of the application of an investigative measure provided in § 53¹⁵ of this Act is to obtain specific information, it is proposed to transfer this information to the Competition Authority.

 (8) A person subject to an investigative measure, who is not a person under supervision, is required to tolerate investigative measures applied to them on the basis and pursuant to the procedure provided in this Chapter.

 (9) Upon application of an investigative measure, the Competition Authority makes, as soon as possible, a copy of the data medium necessary for the investigation and returns the data medium immediately to the person from whom it was taken. The information recorded by the Competition Authority from the data medium in the course of the application of the investigative measure is destroyed provided that it is no longer necessary for the proceedings and unless otherwise agreed.
[RT I, 05.07.2025, 1 – entry into force 06.07.2025]

§ 53¹⁵.  Search

 (1) The Competition Authority may search the business premises or any other building, vehicle or land of a person under supervision with the prior authorisation of an administrative court, in the case there is reasonable doubt that the site to be searched contains business or accounting information relating to the person under supervision or other evidence relevant to the competition supervision proceedings.

 (2) The Competition Authority may search the premises of an attorney with the prior authorisation of an administrative court. The premises of an attorney may not be searched for the purpose of obtaining information protected by attorney-client privilege, unless there is good reason to believe that the attorney, an employee of the law firm or an employee of the Bar Association has committed a prohibited act and the information protected by attorney-client privilege may be relating to the competition supervision proceedings. The provisions of the Code of Criminal Procedure concerning the search of the premises of an attorney apply to the search of the premises of an attorney.

 (3) An administrative court may determine in the authorisation for a search that the Competition Authority has the right to obtain access to the data available to the person subject to the search through a computer network, in the case there is reasonable doubt that there may be business or accounting information relating to the person under supervision which is necessary for finding a prohibited act.

 (4) Where an administrative court has granted the Competition Authority an authorisation for a search, the Competition Authority has the right to:
 1) without prior notice, enter the site specified in the authorisation for the search and look for the evidence specified in the authorisation for the search;
 2) copy or take under seal physical evidence, data media or copies thereof at the site to be searched, that may contain business or accounting information relating to the person under supervision which is necessary for finding a prohibited act;
 3) obtain access to the data available to the person subject to the search through a computer network, where an administrative court has so indicated in its authorisation, and to the data contained in the data media found during the search, and to store the information contained in the data media;
 4) seal the business premises of the person under supervision or any part thereof, the data medium or any other object contained therein for a period of time determined by the Competition Authority, as well as to prohibit the person subject to search from altering or destroying the information specified in clause 3 of this subsection and from accessing or preventing access to the information;
 5) require the person under supervision or any other person to be present during the search and to request information from them under the conditions and pursuant to the procedure provided in § 53¹⁷ of this Act, and to summon the person by telephone or other technical means of communication, allowing sufficient time to appear.

 (5) The Competition Authority may require a person subject to a search during or after the search and before the Competition Authority starts to examine the information on the sealed data medium to indicate the confidential information specified in subsection 3 of § 53¹⁴ of this Act, information protected by attorney-client privilege and information which is clearly irrelevant for finding a prohibited act on the data medium taken or copied during the search, setting a reasonable time limit for it. The person indicates confidential information or information which is clearly irrelevant in the manner prescribed by the Competition Authority, distinguishing the information to be indicated as precisely as possible and explaining in each case the circumstances due to which the person considers the information to be confidential or clearly irrelevant. In the case the person has made requests for indication of information while being present during the review of the information, such requests replace the obligation of the person under supervision to indicate the information in advance.

 (6) Where a dispute arises between the Competition Authority and the person subject to the search as to the confidentiality of information, the dispute is settled by an administrative court by its ruling at the request of the Competition Authority after hearing the opinions of the Competition Authority and the person subject to the search and after examining the disputed information and, where necessary, the materials of the procedural file. A ruling of a circuit court made upon resolving an appeal against a ruling of an administrative court is not subject to appeal. The Competition Authority may access the disputed information to the extent permitted by the court ruling after the court ruling has entered into force. The disputed information must be sealed in the presence of the person subject to the search until entry into force of the court ruling.

 (7) Where a dispute arises between the Competition Authority and the person subject to the search as to the relevance of information, the dispute is settled by an administrative court by its ruling at the request of the person subject to the search after hearing the opinions of the Competition Authority and the person subject to the search and after examining the disputed information and, where necessary, the materials of the procedural file. A ruling of a circuit court made upon resolving an appeal against a ruling of an administrative court is not subject to appeal. The Competition Authority excludes the information identified as irrelevant by the ruling of an administrative court from the materials collected during the search and such information will not be used in further proceedings or placed in the file.

 (8) The Competition Authority involves a representative of the local authority in the search where the person subject to the search is not present and summoning the person in accordance with the provisions of clause 5 of subsection 4 of this section is not possible or effective. This subsection does not apply to the search of the premises of an attorney provided in subsection 2 of this section.

 (9) In the case a person under supervision and subject to search fails to comply with an order of the Competition Authority during the search, the Competition Authority may impose a non-compliance levy with regard to the person constituting the undertaking or association of undertakings pursuant to the procedure and at the rate provided in § 53²⁷ of this Act.

 (10) In the case a person subject to search other than a person under supervision fails to comply with an order of the Competition Authority during the search, the Competition Authority may impose a non-compliance levy with regard to that person pursuant to the procedure provided in the Substitutional Performance and Non-Compliance Levies Act in the amount of up to 9,600 euros.

 (11) In order to apply the measures provided in clauses 1, 2 and 4 of subsection 4 of this section, the police may use direct coercion insofar as it is unavoidable for the achievement of the objective. Direct coercion is applied by the police at its own discretion pursuant to the procedure provided in the Law Enforcement Act, taking into account the specifications provided in this Chapter.

 (12) In cases of urgency, where it is not possible to submit a request in writing in due time, the Competition Authority may submit the request for a search to an administrative court in another reproducible form. A request made on the basis of this subsection must state the reasons why the request is urgent.
[RT I, 05.07.2025, 1 – entry into force 06.07.2025]

§ 53¹⁶.  Authorisation of administrative court

 (1) An administrative court grants an authorisation for a search on the basis of the provisions of the Code of Administrative Court Procedure on the grant of permission for an administrative operation.

 (2) Upon granting an authorisation for a search, the court assesses whether the prerequisites for a search provided by law have been complied with and whether the search is proportionate.

 (3) The authorisation of an administrative court states where the search may be conducted, what may be searched and which data may be accessed under the authorisation for the search.

 (4) The authorisation of an administrative court is not disclosed insofar it would jeopardise the collection of evidence by search.

 (5) At the beginning of the search, the Competition Authority presents the court ruling authorising the search to the person whose premises are to be searched or to the representative of the local authority present at the search. In the case the person subject to the search is not present during the search, the authorisation of an administrative court is delivered to the person immediately after the beginning of the search.

 (6) An administrative court may resolve an urgent request made on the basis of subsection 12 of § 53¹⁵ of this Act by a ruling without a descriptive part and reasons. In this case, a ruling in compliance with the requirements must be issued within 72 hours. Where an administrative court finds that the request is not urgent, the administrative court refuses to consider the request of the Competition Authority and sets a time limit for the written submission of the request.
[RT I, 05.07.2025, 1 – entry into force 06.07.2025]

§ 53¹⁷.  Request for information

 (1) The Competition Authority may request, in writing or orally, from a person under supervision or any other person information available to that person, including explanations. The Competition Authority may specify in the request for information which member of a governing body of the person under supervision who is a legal person is required to comply with the request for information orally through interview. The Competition Authority also has the right to request information from state agencies and local authorities.

 (2) In a request for information, the Competition Authority states the legal basis and the purpose of the request, specifies the circumstances and facts on which information is requested and sets a time limit for the submission of the information. The request for information must state the conditions under which the addressee of the request has the right to refuse to comply with the request, and the sanctions for the submission of incorrect or misleading information. A request for information must be proportionate and must not violate the confidentiality of messages sent by post, telephone or other commonly used means.

 (3) The provisions of clauses 4 and 5 of subsection 7 of § 78¹⁷ and subsections 9 and 10 of the same section of this Act apply to the right of the addressee of a request for information to refuse to provide information.

 (4) The provisions of the Administrative Procedure Act concerning experts and witnesses do not apply to a person to whom a request for information has been submitted.

 (5) The Competition Authority may require that the information be provided in writing or orally. Where information is requested orally through interview, the Competition Authority may require the person to appear in the office when summoned to provide information and records the provision of information in a manner ensuring the identification of the person. A reasonable period of time is given for the submission of information and for appearing when summoned.

 (6) In the case the Competition Authority requires the information to be submitted in writing:
 1) the person under supervision submits the information in Estonian or together with a translation into Estonian, unless the translation would be clearly disproportionate in view of the language, content and volume of the document;
 2) a person other than the person under supervision submits information in a language which the person understands or in which the information is produced.

 (7) Where a person under supervision fails to comply with the request for information or fails to appear when summoned without good reason, the Competition Authority may impose a non-compliance levy with regard to the person pursuant to the procedure and at the rate provided in § 53²⁷ of this Act.

 (8) In the case a person other than the person under supervision fails to comply with a request for information or fails to appear when summoned without good reason, the Competition Authority may impose a non-compliance levy with regard to that person pursuant to the procedure provided in the Substitutional Performance and Non-Compliance Levies Act in the amount of up to 9,600 euros.
[RT I, 05.07.2025, 1 – entry into force 06.07.2025]

§ 53¹⁸.  Application of provisional competition supervision measure

 (1) The Competition Authority may apply a provisional competition supervision measure to a person under supervision where initial information indicates that the person under supervision has committed a prohibited act that creates an imminent risk of significant and irreparable damage to competition.

 (2) In order to apply a provisional competition supervision measure to a person under supervision, the Competition Authority imposes an obligation on the person under supervision to perform or refrain from performing a specified act. Such obligation must be proportionate and imposed for a specific time limit. In justified cases, the Competition Authority may extend the time limit, but not for longer than until the termination of competition supervision proceedings.

 (3) The Competition Authority notifies the competition authorities of the other Member States and the European Commission of a provisional competition supervision measure where the measure has been applied in competition supervision proceedings concerning a prohibited act in the case of which the Competition Authority should apply Article 101 or 102 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union.

 (4) Where a person specified in subsection 2 of this section fails to comply with an obligation imposed on the person, the Competition Authority may impose a non-compliance levy with regard to the person under supervision pursuant to the procedure and at the rate provided in § 53²⁷ of this Act.
[RT I, 05.07.2025, 1 – entry into force 06.07.2025]

§ 53¹⁹.  Hearing of opinions and objections

 (1) Prior to finding that a prohibited act has been committed and applying a provisional competition supervision measure terminating the competition supervision proceedings, the Competition Authority gives the person under supervision the opportunity to present in writing its opinion and objections to the complaints made against the person in the case within a specified reasonable time limit. At a reasoned request of the person under supervision, the Competition Authority gives the person the opportunity to present its opinion and objections orally, and these are recorded. The person under supervision is allowed to make statements on the conditions, course and results of presenting its opinion and objections orally, and such statements are recorded.

 (2) Upon finding that a prohibited act has been committed and applying a provisional competition supervision measure terminating the competition supervision proceedings, the Competition Authority may rely only on the complaints on which the person under supervision has had the opportunity to present its opinion and objections.

 (3) The Competition Authority submits the complaints made in the case for the purposes of § 78¹⁵ of this Act to the applicant and gives the applicant an opportunity to submit its opinion and objections in writing within a reasonable time limit on the complaints in respect of which the Competition Authority would apply a competition supervision measure to cease the commission of a prohibited act. The applicant is not given the opportunity to submit its opinion and objections in the case the Competition Authority terminates the competition supervision proceedings on the basis of clause 1 of subsection 2 of § 53⁶ of this Act.

 (4) The Competition Authority submits the complaints made in the case to the other market participant involved in the competition supervision proceedings with regard to the rights of the other market participant and gives the other market participant the opportunity to submit its opinion and objections in writing within a reasonable time limit.

 (5) In the cases referred to in subsections 3 and 4 of this section, the complaints are made in a form which does not contain business secrets or other confidential information.
[RT I, 05.07.2025, 1 – entry into force 06.07.2025]

§ 53²⁰.  Evidence in competition supervision proceedings

 (1) The Competition Authority collects evidence both proving and excluding the commission of a prohibited act and other violations provided in this Chapter. No one is required to provide evidence to justify themselves, except to the extent required by law or the European Union law.

 (2) The Competition Authority must prove the commission of a prohibited act or any other violation provided in this Chapter by an undertaking or an association of undertakings. Any doubt must operate to the advantage of the undertaking or association.

 (3) The Competition Authority proceeds on proven or generally known facts. No evidence has predetermined weight. Evidence is assessed as a whole.

 (4) Information obtained by using surveillance or in violation of the fundamental rights of a person may not be relied on in competition supervision proceedings.
[RT I, 05.07.2025, 1 – entry into force 06.07.2025]

§ 53²¹.  Termination of competition supervision proceedings

 (1) Competition supervision proceedings terminate by the delivery of a decision applying a competition supervision measure or by the termination of the proceedings on any other basis provided in this Chapter. Where competition supervision proceedings have been initiated by declaring an application specified in § 53⁷ of this Act admissible, the proceedings do not terminate by the withdrawal of the application.

 (2) The Competition Authority has the right to find that a prohibited act has been committed by a person under supervision and to apply a competition supervision measure to that person. The finding that a prohibited act has been committed and all the competition supervision measures must be contained in a single decision, and the finding that a prohibited act has been committed must be contained in the conclusion of that decision.
[RT I, 05.07.2025, 1 – entry into force 06.07.2025]

§ 53²².  Approval of assumption of obligation

 (1) A person under supervision may, with the approval of the Competition Authority, assume an obligation to address the competition concerns expressed by the Competition Authority. A decision of the Competition Authority to approve the assumption of the obligation terminates the competition supervision proceedings.

 (2) Where the Competition Authority finds that the competition supervision proceedings can be terminated by approving the assumption of an obligation, but no complaints have yet been made against the person under supervision, the Competition Authority gives a preliminary overview of the competition concerns caused by the person under supervision on the proposal of the person under supervision. In order to assume an obligation, the person under supervision submits a written application that is sufficiently detailed to enable the Competition Authority to assess the suitability of the obligation suggested therein to address the specified competition concerns.

 (3) Where a person under supervision wishes to assume an obligation after complaints have been made against the person, the application for the assumption of an obligation must be sufficiently detailed to enable the Competition Authority to assess the suitability of the obligation suggested therein to resolve the complaints.

 (4) The Competition Authority may make an obligation binding for a person under supervision after seeking the opinions of other market participants. An obligation may be made binding for a specified period. A person who has assumed an obligation must notify the Competition Authority of the performance of the obligation at the time and on the conditions specified by the Competition Authority. In order to verify performance of the obligation, the Competition Authority has the right to use the investigative measures provided in this Chapter.

 (5) The Competition Authority may, on its own initiative or upon request, resume the competition supervision proceedings that have been terminated by the approval of the assumption of an obligation where:
 1) the circumstances on the basis of which the proceedings were terminated have significantly changed;
 2) the person who assumed the obligation fails to perform the obligation;
 3) the obligation was approved on the basis of incomplete, incorrect or misleading information submitted by the parties to the proceedings.

 (6) Where a person who has assumed an obligation fails to perform the obligation, the Competition Authority may impose a non-compliance levy with regard to the person pursuant to the procedure and at the rate provided in § 53²⁷ of this Act.

 (7) In misdemeanour proceedings concerning a prohibited act that has the elements of the same offence, the assumption of an obligation approved by the Competition Authority is regarded as a mitigating circumstance, unless the person who assumed the obligation failed to comply with the obligation in part or in full.
[RT I, 05.07.2025, 1 – entry into force 06.07.2025]

§ 53²³.  Termination of competition supervision proceedings by settlement

 (1) In competition supervision proceedings the subject of which is a prohibited act provided in § 4 of this Act or Article 101 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, the Competition Authority may settle on competition supervision measures with the person under supervision. In the case of a continuous prohibited act, the termination of the competition supervision proceedings by settlement is conditional upon the termination of the commission of such prohibited act.

 (2) Where, in the opinion of the Competition Authority, it is possible to settle on competition supervision measures, the Competition Authority will:
 1) explain the possibility of settlement, the rights of a person under supervision in the settlement and the consequences of the settlement to the persons under supervision who have participated in the commission of the prohibited act provided in § 4 of this Act or in Article 101 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union;
 2) set a time limit for the persons under supervision during which they can notify the Competition Authority in writing of their wish to enter into negotiations on competition supervision measures.

 (3) Where an undertaking which has participated in the commission of a prohibited act provided in § 4 of this Act or Article 101 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union is composed of more than one person under supervision, they must choose a representative from among themselves to participate in the negotiations.

 (4) The Competition Authority submits to a person under supervision or to the representative of the persons under supervision specified in subsection 3 of this section who have expressed their wish to negotiate an agreement within the time limit the complaints made in the case together with the relevant evidence and a proposal on the competition supervision measures to be applied for participating in the commission of the prohibited act provided in § 4 of this Act or in Article 101 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union and the amount of the fine to be applied in possible misdemeanour proceedings to an undertaking or an association of undertakings composed of such persons.

 (5) The Competition Authority may terminate the settlement negotiations where it concludes that reaching a settlement is unlikely.

 (6) As a result of the settlement negotiations, the person under supervision or, in the case specified in subsection 3 of this section, the representative of the persons under supervision submits to the Competition Authority within the time limit set by the latter a written settlement submission which includes:
 1) a detailed description of the prohibited act provided in § 4 of this Act or Article 101 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, including information on affected goods and the geographical scope of the prohibited act;
 2) a clear and unambiguous acknowledgement that the person under supervision has participated in and is responsible for the commission of the prohibited act provided in § 4 of this Act or Article 101 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, including the period of participation in the commission of the prohibited act and the role of the person under supervision or, in the case specified in subsection 3 of this section, of the persons under supervision;
 3) a confirmation that the person under supervision or, in the case specified in subsection 3 of this section, the persons under supervision consent to the application of the competition supervision measures negotiated with the Competition Authority;
 4) a confirmation that the person under supervision or, in the case specified in subsection 3 of this section, the persons under supervision are aware of the complaints made against them in the case and have been given the opportunity to submit their opinion and objections to the complaints;
 5) a confirmation that the person under supervision or, in the case specified in subsection 3 of this section, the persons under supervision waive the right to contest the participation in the prohibited act provided in § 4 of this Act or Article 101 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union and the application of the agreed competition supervision measures for such act.

 (7) Where a settlement submission complies with the requirements provided in subsection 6 of this section and there is no reason to doubt the accuracy of the information provided therein, the Competition Authority confirms the settlement by applying the negotiated competition supervision measures.

 (8) Where a settlement submission does not comply with the requirements provided in subsection 6 of this section, the Competition Authority may refuse to confirm the settlement or may set a time limit for elimination of the deficiencies.

 (9) Where the Competition Authority terminates negotiations or refuses to confirm the settlement, or the person under supervision or, in the case specified in subsection 3 of this section, the representative of the persons under supervision fails to introduce a settlement submission or withdraws the introduced settlement submission, the competition supervision proceedings continue in accordance with the general procedure. In such case, the Competition Authority may not use the information provided during the negotiations or in the settlement submission in further competition supervision proceedings or misdemeanour proceedings.

 (10) A confirmation of waiver of the right to contest competition supervision measures given on the basis of clause 5 of subsection 6 of this section deprives a person of the right to contest competition supervision measures to the extent of the waiver and to appeal against the decision of the Competition Authority. The confirmation does not include a waiver of the right to contest to the extent in which the measures applied do not comply with the settlement with the Competition Authority.
[RT I, 05.07.2025, 1 – entry into force 06.07.2025]

§ 53²⁴.  Settlement fee

 (1) A settlement fee is a sum of money fixed by a settlement between the Competition Authority and the person under supervision pursuant to § 53²³ of this Act, which must be paid by the person under supervision into the state revenues for the purpose of terminating the proceedings concerning the prohibited act.

 (2) The amount of settlement fee is calculated in accordance with § 73¹⁶ of this Act by agreeing on an amount smaller than the amount of the fine that may be sought in misdemeanour proceedings.

 (3) The due date of the settlement fee is determined by the settlement between the Competition Authority and the person under supervision, but it may not exceed six months.

 (4) Upon full payment of the settlement fee, the Competition Authority formalises the settlements pursuant to § 53²³ of this Act and this section as a decision terminating the proceedings in respect of the prohibited act.

 (5) Where the supervised person fails to pay the full amount of the settlement fee within the agreed time limit, the Competition Authority continues the proceedings pending in respect of the prohibited act or initiate new proceedings in respect of the prohibited act.
[RT I, 05.07.2025, 1 – entry into force 06.07.2025]

§ 53²⁵.  Termination of commission of prohibited act

 (1) In order to terminate the commission of a prohibited act, the Competition Authority may apply a behavioural or structural measure to the person under supervision.

 (2) In order to apply a behavioural or structural measure, the Competition Authority imposes an obligation on the person under supervision to perform or refrain from performing a specified act. The obligation must be necessary and proportionate in order to effectively terminate the prohibited act.

 (3) The Competition Authority may impose an obligation to dispose of a shareholding in a competing undertaking, to transfer an undertaking or to make other structural changes only where the prohibited act cannot be equivalently terminated by a less burdensome obligation.

 (4) A person under supervision to whom the Competition Authority has imposed an obligation on the basis of this section notifies the Competition Authority of the performance of the obligation at the time and on the conditions specified by the Competition Authority. In order to verify performance of the obligation, the Competition Authority has the right to use the investigative measures provided in this Chapter.

 (5) Where a person under supervision fails to perform an obligation imposed on the person on the basis of this section, the Competition Authority may impose a non-compliance levy with regard to the person under supervision pursuant to the procedure provided in § 53²⁷ of this Act.

 (6) The Competition Authority may repeal an administrative decision imposing an obligation on a person under supervision pursuant to this section, in particular where, in the opinion of the Competition Authority, the imposed obligation does not fulfil its purpose.
[RT I, 05.07.2025, 1 – entry into force 06.07.2025]

§ 53²⁶.  Consequences of violation of procedural and formal requirements, and judicial review

 (1) The revocation of a competition supervision measure may be requested in the case of a violation of procedural or formal requirements where such violation may have affected the decision on the case or resulted in a substantial infringement of the rights of the addressee of the measure.

 (2) Upon contesting a decision made in competition supervision proceedings and assessing of the legality of the finding that a prohibited act has been committed, an administrative court conducts a full-scale review.
[RT I, 05.07.2025, 1 – entry into force 06.07.2025]

§ 53²⁷.  Amount of and procedure for application of non-compliance levy

 (1) The daily rate of a non-compliance levy imposed on a person under supervision on the basis of the provisions of this Chapter is up to five per cent of the average daily aggregate worldwide turnover of the person under supervision in the financial year preceding the imposition of the non-compliance levy.

 (2) In order to impose a non-compliance levy on a person under supervision, the Competition Authority imposes the non-compliance levy on the person under supervision pursuant to the procedure provided in the Substitutional Performance and Non-Compliance Levies Act with the specifications provided in this section. Where the Competition Authority imposes a non-compliance levy on more than one person under supervision, they are jointly and severally liable for the payment of the non-compliance levy.

 (3) In a warning to impose non-compliance levy, the Competition Authority indicates the maximum daily rate of the non-compliance levy which may not exceed the maximum daily rate provided in subsection 1 of this section. The final daily rate of the non-compliance levy which may not exceed the abovementioned maximum rate is specified by the Competition Authority in the act imposing the non-compliance levy.

 (4) The Competition Authority may impose a non-compliance levy as of the day of compliance with the obligation or as of the day the Competition Authority deems it necessary to increase the daily maximum rate of the non-compliance levy. The amount of the non-compliance levy to be imposed is calculated by the Competition Authority by multiplying the final daily rate of the non-compliance levy by the number of days from the expiry of the time limit for voluntary compliance indicated in the warning to impose a non-compliance levy until the obligation is complied with or the daily rate of the non-compliance levy is increased, and it is indicated in the act imposing the non-compliance levy.

 (5) Compliance with the obligation does not preclude the imposition of a non-compliance levy for the days exceeding the time limit for voluntary compliance.

 (6) The act imposing a non-compliance levy specified in subsection 4 of this section is an administrative decision for the purposes of clause 11 of subsection 1 of § 2 of the Code of Enforcement Procedure that constitutes the basis for collection of a non-compliance levy.
[RT I, 05.07.2025, 1 – entry into force 06.07.2025]

§ 53²⁸.  Compensation for procedural expenses

 (1) The Competition Authority may require a person under supervision to compensate for reasonable translation costs where in the competition supervision proceedings it has been found that a prohibited act has been committed by the person under supervision. Where the Competition Authority requests the compensation of translation costs from more than one person under supervision, they are jointly and severally liable for the compensation.

 (2) The Competition Authority determines the translation costs subject to compensation by an administrative decision. Such administrative decision is an enforceable title for the purposes of clause 21 of subsection 1 of § 2 of the Code of Enforcement Procedure. A certificate concerning enforceability of the decision is annexed to the enforceable title by the Competition Authority.
[RT I, 05.07.2025, 1 – entry into force 06.07.2025]

§ 53²⁹.  Ensuring compliance in competition supervision proceedings

 (1) In order to ensure compliance in competition supervision proceedings, the Competition Authority may apply to an administrative court for prohibition of transactions and operations related to the dissolution, merger, division or other transformation of a person under supervision.

 (2) Upon deciding on the measure to ensure compliance in the proceedings, the court considers public interest and the rights of the person under supervision, and assesses prospects of the supervision proceedings and foreseeable consequences of the application of measures to ensure compliance in the proceedings.

 (3) The court decides on the application for ensuring compliance in competition supervision proceedings in accordance with the provisions of Chapter 27 of the Code of Administrative Court Procedure.

 (4) An order of the administrative court applying measures to ensure compliance in competition supervision proceedings is served on the person under supervision without delay and transmitted to the registration department of Tartu County Court.

 (5) Unless otherwise ordered by a court, the prohibition remains in force until a final decision has been made with regard to the subject of competition supervision proceedings and, unless the initiation of misdemeanour proceedings with regard to the act constituting the subject of the competition supervision proceedings is excluded by law, for a further period of one month thereafter.

 (6) At the request of a person under supervision, the administrative court reviews the continued justification of the measures to ensure compliance in competition supervision proceedings where at least six months have passed from the application of the measures or the last review of the justification of the measures. In order to review the continued justification of the measures to ensure compliance in competition supervision proceedings, the administrative court may request explanations from the Competition Authority and have access to the case file.

 (7) Where the need to apply the measures to ensure compliance in competition supervision proceedings ceases to exist, the court or the Competition Authority revokes without delay the measures to ensure compliance in the proceedings and informs the registration department of Tartu County Court and the person under supervision thereof.
[RT I, 05.07.2025, 1 – entry into force 06.07.2025]

§ 53³⁰.  Procedural information exchange

 (1) Where, in the course of competition supervision proceedings, information has become evident that an act with elements of a criminal offence has been committed, the Competition Authority makes it available to the Prosecutor's Office. The information is not transmitted in the case it was obtained from a competition authority of another state or an association of states, provided that it is not used in offence proceedings.

 (2) Other than in the case specified in subsection 1 of this section, the Competition Authority is not permitted to disclose information on offences received from persons in the course of competition supervision within the framework of the obligation to cooperate.

 (3) Where information has come to the attention of the Prosecutor's Office, an investigating authority or an out-of-court proceedings authority that indicates that a prohibited act has been committed, the Prosecutor's Office, the investigating authority or the out-of-court proceedings authority makes it available to the Competition Authority, provided that it does not adversely affect the offence proceedings.
[RT I, 05.07.2025, 1 – entry into force 06.07.2025]

§ 53³¹.  Procedural co-operation with specialist and another administrative authority

 (1) Where the Competition Authority involves a specialist or another administrative authority in the application of an investigative measure pursuant to clause 1 of subsection 6 of subsection of § 53¹⁴ of this Act, they will perform the task assigned to them under the direction and on behalf of the Competition Authority. In the performance of the task, they have the right to process personal data, including special categories of personal data, and to transmit these to the Competition Authority in the case this is necessary for the performance of their task in the competition supervision proceedings.

 (2) The Competition Authority is liable to the person subject to the investigative measure for the damage caused by the specialist and another administrative authority involved in the application of the measure, and settles the appeals against their actions.

 (3) The provisions of § 10 of the Administrative Procedure Act apply to the removal of a specialist involved on the basis of clause 1 of subsection 6 of § 5314 of this Act.
[RT I, 05.07.2025, 1 – entry into force 06.07.2025]

§ 53³².  Procedural co-operation with the police

 (1) Where the Competition Authority involves the police in the application of an investigative measure pursuant to clause 2 subsection 6 of § 53¹⁴ of this Act, the police has the right to:
 1) apply the investigative measure provided in § 53¹⁵ of this Act under the direction and on behalf of the Competition Authority, including issue orders for the application of the investigative measure;
 2) receive information from state agencies and local authorities and to process personal data, including special categories of personal data, where it is necessary for the performance of a task specified in clause 2 of subsection 6 of § 53¹⁴ of this Act;
 3) transmit personal data to the Competition Authority where such data are necessary for the application of the investigative measure provided in § 53¹⁵ of this Act.

 (2) The Competition Authority notifies the Police and Border Guard Board of the need for the involvement of the police on the basis of clause 2 of subsection 6 of § 53¹⁴ of this Act in a form reproducible in writing. The notification must include the purpose of the police involvement, the planned time of the search and the number of sites to be searched and of natural persons associated with the person subject to the search. The specific conditions and time of the provision of assistance are agreed in accordance with the co-operation agreement between the Competition Authority and the Police and Border Guard Board.

 (3) The Competition Authority compensates the Police and Border Guard Board for the costs incurred by the involvement of the police on the basis of cost accounting. The amount of costs must be justified and proven.

 (4) The Competition Authority is liable to the person subject to the investigative measure for the damage caused by the officials and employees involved in the application of the measure, and settles the appeals against their actions.
[RT I, 05.07.2025, 1 – entry into force 06.07.2025]

§ 53³³.  Processing of personal data in competition supervision proceedings

 (1) The Competition Authority has the right to process personal data, including special categories of personal data, for the performance of the tasks provided in this Chapter.

 (2) The Competition Authority has the right to transmit personal data, except for special categories of personal data, to another administrative authority and to a specialist and the police involved in the application of an investigative measure on the basis of subsection 6 of § 53¹⁴ of this Act, in the case the personal data are necessary for the performance of their task in the competition supervision proceedings.

 (3) The Competition Authority may restrict the rights of a data subject in the case the Competition Authority has terminated the competition supervision proceedings on the basis of clause 1 of subsection 2 of § 53⁶ of this Act and non-restriction of the rights of the data subject would jeopardise the collection of evidence.

 (4) The following rights of data subjects may be restricted in accordance with subsection 3 of this section:
 1) the right to know that their personal data are processed, including what personal data are processed, and the way, method, objective, legal basis, extent or cause of processing;
 2) the right to demand restrictions on processing of their personal data;
 3) the right to object to processing of their personal data;
 4) the right to know about breaches related to their personal data.
[RT I, 05.07.2025, 1 – entry into force 06.07.2025]

Chapter 8 STATE SUPERVISION  
[RT I, 05.07.2025, 1 - entry into force 06.07.2025]

§ 54.  Exercise of state and administrative supervision

  [RT I, 26.05.2017, 1 – entry into force 05.06.2017]

 (1) The Competition Authority exercises state and administrative supervision over implementation of the provisions of Chapter 5 of this Act.
[RT I, 05.07.2025, 1 – entry into force 06.07.2025]

§ 54¹.  Specific state supervision measures

  In order to exercise state supervision provided for in this Act, the Competition Authority may apply the specific state supervision measures provided for in §§ 30, 31, 32, 49, 50, and 51 of the Law Enforcement Act on the basis of and pursuant to the procedure provided for in the Law Enforcement Act.
[RT I, 13.03.2014, 4 – entry into force 01.07.2014]

§ 55.  Competence of Competition Authority

 (1) The Competition Authority is a competition authority, except for the purposes of Chapter 7¹ of this Act, which is competent to perform all functions assigned to it under this Act.
[RT I, 05.07.2025, 1 – entry into force 06.07.2025]

 (2) The Competition Authority in its function as a competition authority analyses the competitive situation, proposes measures to promote competition, applies measures to restore and maintain competition, makes recommendations to improve the competitive situation, makes proposals for legislation to be passed or amended, and develops co-operation with the competition authorities of other states and associations of states.
[RT I, 05.07.2025, 1 – entry into force 06.07.2025]

 (3) The Competition Authority is responsible for the application of Articles 101 and 102 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union for the purposes of Article 35 of Council Regulation (EC) No 1/2003 on the implementation of the rules on competition laid down in Articles 81 and 82 of the Treaty (OJ L 1, 04.01.2003, pp 1–25).
[RT I, 05.07.2025, 1 – entry into force 06.07.2025]

§ 55¹.  Independence of Competition Authority

  The Competition Authority is independent in the performance of its functions as a competition authority provided in this Act and in Council Regulation (EC) No 1/2003 and acts pursuant this Act, the legislation of the European Union, other laws and legislation established on the basis thereof.
[RT I, 05.07.2025, 1 – entry into force 06.07.2025]

§ 55².  Reporting obligations of Competition Authority

  The Competition Authority submits to the minister in charge of the policy sector by 1 April of each year a summary report on the activities of the competition service of the Competition Authority for the preceding calendar year, which includes an overview of the performance of the functions assigned to the Competition Authority as a competition authority under this Act, information on the employment and release from service of the employees of the competition service of the Competition Authority, the number of employees and the amount of budgetary funds, as well as information on how the number of employees and the amount of budgetary funds have changed compared to previous years. The summary report is published on the website of the Competition Authority.
[RT I, 05.07.2025, 1 – entry into force 06.07.2025]

§ 55³.  Restriction on activities of persons released from competition service of Competition Authority

 (1) A person released from the competition service of the Competition Authority may not, within a reasonable period of time from the date of release from service, engage in any proceedings on any basis in which the person was involved due to the performance of their duties during their service.

 (2) At the request of a person released from the competition service, the Competition Authority establishes whether the reasonable period of time specified in subsection 1 of this section has passed. This establishment is binding on the person. In assessing the reasonable period of time, the Competition Authority takes into account, among other things, the involvement of the person in the proceedings and the course of the proceedings after the person has been released from the competition service.
[RT I, 05.07.2025, 1 – entry into force 06.07.2025]

§ 56.  Co-operation between Competition Authority and the European Union

  [Repealed – RT I, 05.07.2025, 1 – entry into force 06.07.2025]

§ 57.  Right of Competition Authority to request information

 (1) The Competition Authority has the right to request all natural and legal persons and the representatives thereof and all state agencies and local governments and the officials thereof to submit information necessary for:
 1) analysing the competitive situation;
 2) defining a goods market;
 3) [repealed – RT I, 05.07.2025, 1 – entry into force 06.07.2025]
 4) [Repealed – RT I, 05.07.2013, 1 – entry into force 15.07.2013]
 5) [repealed – RT I, 05.07.2025, 1 – entry into force 06.07.2025]
 6) monitoring a concentration or compliance with the conditions of a permission to concentrate;
[RT I 2006, 25, 186 – entry into force 01.07.2006]
 7) [Repealed – RT I 2002, 82, 480 – entry into force 24.10.2002]
 8) [Repealed – RT I 2002, 82, 480 – entry into force 24.10.2002]
 9) [repealed – RT I, 05.07.2025, 1 – entry into force 06.07.2025]

 (2) The information specified in subsection 1 of this section is requested in writing or in a form reproducible in writing. The time limit for submission of the information is at least ten calendar days. In order to ensure compliance with the request for information, the Competition Authority may impose a non-compliance levy at the rate provided in § 57¹ of this Act.
[RT I, 05.07.2025, 1 – entry into force 06.07.2025]

 (3) [Repealed – RT I, 13.03.2014, 4 – entry into force 01.07.2014]

§ 57¹.  Non-compliance levy rate

  Upon failure to comply with a precept, the maximum rate of the non-compliance levy imposed pursuant to the procedure provided for in the Substitutional Performance and Non-Compliance Levies Act is up to 6400 euros for natural persons and up to 9600 euros for legal persons.
[RT I, 13.03.2014, 4 – entry into force 01.07.2014]

§ 58.  Summoning to Competition Authority

  [Repealed – RT I, 13.03.2014, 4 – entry into force 01.07.2014]

§ 59.  Right of Competition Authority to request submission of materials

 (1) The Competition Authority has the right to request all natural and legal persons and the representatives thereof and all state agencies and local governments and the officials and representatives thereof to submit the originals of documents, drafts or other materials, or true copies thereof, certified by the signature of the person submitting the copies. Upon submission of a copy, the Competition Board has the right to request submission of the original document to verify the authenticity of the copy.

 (2) At the request of a person who submits materials or the representative of such person, the Competition Authority shall issue confirmation concerning receipt of the materials and the person or the representative has the right to the return of the originals of the documents, drafts and other materials by the Competition Authority after completion of the supervisory operations.

§ 60.  Inspection of seat or place of business of undertaking

  [Repealed – RT I, 13.03.2014, 4 – entry into force 01.07.2014]

§ 61.  Making of recommendations

  [Repealed – RT I, 05.07.2025, 1 – entry into force 06.07.2025]

§ 61¹.  Finding prohibited acts committed and issue of precepts

  If the Competition Authority has found that an act prohibited under Chapters 2 or 4 of this Act or under Articles 101 or 102 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (hereinafter prohibited act) has been committed, the finding of the commitment of the prohibited act must be contained in the conclusion of the precept issued to the undertaking which committed the prohibited act.
[RT I, 26.05.2017, 1 – entry into force 05.06.2017]

§ 62.  Precepts and imposition of non-compliance levy

  [Repealed – RT I, 13.03.2014, 4 – entry into force 01.07.2014]

§ 63.  Obligation to maintain business secrets and confidentiality of other information

  [RT I, 05.07.2025, 1 – entry into force 06.07.2025]

 (1) [Repealed – RT I, 07.12.2018, 2 – entry into force 17.12.2018]

 (1¹) In addition to the provisions of the Public Information Act, the Competition Authority is required to classify as information for internal use:
 1) the information on the application for the purposes of § 53⁷ of this Act;
 2) the information on the competition supervision proceedings that the Competition Authority has terminated pursuant to clause 1 of subsection 2 of § 53⁶ of this Act;
 3) the information which could incriminate a person or their close person where such person is a person who has been subject to an investigative measure in competition supervision proceedings and who has been ordered by the Competition Authority to disclose such information pursuant to subsection 1 § 53¹⁷ of this Act;
 4) the information contained in a leniency application;
 5) the information contained in a settlement submission.
[RT I, 05.07.2025, 1 – entry into force 06.07.2025]

 (1²) The Competition Authority established a restriction on access for an unlimited period to the information provided in clauses 3–5 of subsection 1¹ of this section and to the information provided in clause 17 of subsection 1 of § 35 of the Public Information Act as of the receipt or preparation of such information.
[RT I, 05.07.2025, 1 – entry into force 06.07.2025]

 (1³) The Competition Authority grants a person access to a leniency application and a settlement submission where that person is a party to proceedings other than the competition supervision proceedings in which the application or submission have been introduced and, in those other proceedings, access to the application or submission is necessary to ensure the protection of that person.
[RT I, 05.07.2025, 1 – entry into force 06.07.2025]

 (2) Where the Competition Authority so requests, an undertaking is required to indicate information which is considered to be a business secret and provide reason for classifying information as a business secret. Where the Competition Authority so requests, an undertaking is required to prepare a review of a document which does not include business secrets.
[RT I, 05.07.2025, 1 – entry into force 06.07.2025]

 (3) [Repealed – RT I, 05.07.2025, 1 – entry into force 06.07.2025]

 (4) [Repealed – RT I, 05.07.2025, 1 – entry into force 06.07.2025]

 (5) The Competition Authority shall exclude business secrets and other confidential information from the texts of decisions and precepts subject to disclosure.
[RT I 2006, 25, 186 – entry into force 01.07.2006]

§ 63¹.  Application

 (1) An application filed with the Competition Authority for the commencement of administrative proceedings or an application submitted to the Competition Authority during the administrative proceedings must be in writing and set out the information specified in subsection 3 of § 14 of this Act.
[RT I, 05.07.2025, 1 – entry into force 06.07.2025]

 (2) An application shall be signed by the person filing the application or by the representative of the person. An application filed on behalf of a legal person or an association which is not a legal person shall be signed by the person who has the corresponding authorisation. The representative of a person submitting the application shall annex a document certifying his or her authorisation to the application. Documentation available to the person submitting the application shall be annexed to the application.

 (3) On the basis of a reasoned request from the person submitting the application, the name of the person may, by a decision of the Competition Authority, be declared not to be subject to disclosure to other persons.
[RT I, 05.07.2013, 1 – entry into force 15.07.2013]

§ 63².  Refusal to review application

 (1) The Competition Authority shall refuse to review an application if:
 1) the application is clearly unjustified;
 2) an action concerning the same matter has been filed with the European Commission or a decision of the European Commission concerning the same matter has entered into force;
 3) it is not possible to identify the applicant on the basis of information contained in the application;
 4) the application contains deficiencies and the applicant has failed to eliminate the deficiencies by the term set by the Competition Authority.

 (2) The Competition Authority may refuse to review an application if an action concerning the same matter has been filed with the competition authority of another Member State or a decision of the competition authority of another Member State concerning the same matter has entered into force.
[RT I, 05.07.2013, 1 – entry into force 15.07.2013]

§ 63³.  Suspension of proceedings

 (1) The Competition Authority may suspend the proceedings where administrative proceedings, administrative court proceedings, civil proceedings, misdemeanour proceedings or criminal proceedings are pending that are relevant for settlement of the case and are related to the case.
[RT I, 05.07.2025, 1 – entry into force 06.07.2025]

 (2) The Competition Authority may, by a decision, reopen the proceedings upon entry into force of a court decision or administrative act in the proceedings specified in subsection 1 of this section.
[RT I 2007, 66, 408 – entry into force 01.01.2008]

§ 63⁴.  Termination of proceedings

 (1) The Competition Authority may terminate proceedings if:
 1) in the activities of the undertaking there are no indications of a violation of this Act;
 2) competition has not been significantly restricted;
 3) [repealed – RT I, 05.07.2025, 1 – entry into force 06.07.2025]
 4) misdemeanour proceedings have commenced concerning the same matter;
[RT I, 05.07.2025, 1 – entry into force 06.07.2025]
 5) the applicant has withdrawn the application and the termination of the proceedings does not infringe the rights of third parties;
 6) the same matter has been filed with the competition authority of another Member State or a decision of the competition authority of another Member State concerning the same matter has entered into force;
 7) the addressee of the administrative act is deceased or dissolved;
 8) [repealed – RT I, 05.07.2025, 1 – entry into force 06.07.2025]
 9) the undertaking has terminated the activities which were the subject of the proceedings and there is no need to issue a precept;
 10) the content of the facts described in the application refer to a civil dispute and there is no obvious risk of restriction of competition.

 (2) The Competition Authority shall terminate the proceedings if an action concerning the same matter has been filed with the European Commission or a decision of the European Commission concerning the same matter has entered into force.
[RT I, 05.07.2013, 1 – entry into force 15.07.2013]

§ 63⁵.  Permission of court to carry out inspections

 (1) The Competition Authority submits to an administrative court a reasoned written application concerning the grant of permission for exercising control to the European Commission under the conditions and pursuant to the procedure provided in Article 13 of Council Regulation 139/2004/EC.
[RT I, 05.07.2025, 1 – entry into force 06.07.2025]

 (2) Before grant of the permission, the national judge shall control that the Commission decision is authentic and that the coercive measures envisaged are neither arbitrary nor excessive having regard in particular to the seriousness of the suspected infringement, to the importance of the evidence sought, to the involvement of the undertaking concerned and to the reasonable likelihood that business books and records relating to the subject matter of the inspection are kept in the premises for which the authorisation is requested. In considering the grant of permission, the national judge may not call into question the necessity for the inspection.

 (3) In assessing the proportionality of the coercive measures envisaged, the national judge may ask the Commission, directly or through the Competition Authority for detailed explanations on those elements which are necessary to allow its control of the proportionality of the coercive measures envisaged. The national judge may not demand that it be provided with information in the Commission's file.

 (4) The grant of permission specified in this section shall be decided pursuant to the provisions of the Code of Administrative Court Procedure concerning the grant of permission to take administrative measures.
[RT I 2006, 25, 186 – entry into force 01.07.2006]

§ 63⁶.  Precept in case of risk of restriction of competition

  [Repealed – RT I, 05.07.2025, 1 – entry into force 06.07.2025]

§ 63⁷.  Assumption of obligation, application for assumption of obligation and approval of assumption of obligation

  [Repealed – RT I, 05.07.2025, 1 – entry into force 06.07.2025]

§ 64. – § 73. [Repealed – RT I 2002, 82, 480 – entry into force 24.10.2002]

Chapter 9 LIABILITY  

§ 73¹.  Interference with exercise of state supervision

  [Repealed – RT I, 12.07.2014, 1 – entry into force 01.01.2015]

§ 73².  

  [Repealed – RT I 2004, 25, 168 – entry into force 01.05.2004]

§ 73³.  

  [Repealed – RT I 2002, 82, 480 – entry into force 24.10.2002]

§ 73⁴.  

  [Repealed – RT I 2004, 56, 401 – entry into force 01.08.2004]

§ 73⁵.  Abuse of dominant position

 (1) Violation of prohibition to abuse the dominant position in the market provided in § 16 of this Act or violation of Article 102 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union by an undertaking or an association of undertakings
is punishable by a fine of up to ten per cent of the aggregate worldwide turnover of the undertaking or association of undertakings.
[RT I, 05.07.2025, 1 – entry into force 06.07.2025]

 (2) [Repealed – RT I, 05.07.2025, 1 – entry into force 06.07.2025]

§ 73⁶.  Enforcement of concentration without permission to concentrate and concentration which damages competition

  [RT I, 05.07.2013, 1 – entry into force 15.07.2013]

 (1) Enforcement of concentration without permission to concentrate, as well as violation of a prohibition on concentration or the terms of the permission to concentrate
is punishable by a fine of up to 300 fine units or by detention.
[RT I, 05.07.2013, 1 – entry into force 15.07.2013]

 (2) The same act, if committed by a legal person,
is punishable by a fine of up to 400,000 euros.
[RT I, 12.07.2014, 1 – entry into force 01.01.2015]

§ 73⁷.  Failure to perform obligations of undertakings in control of essential facilities

  [RT I, 05.07.2013, 1 – entry into force 15.07.2013]
Refusal of access to a network, infrastructure or other essential facility under reasonable and non-discriminatory conditions by an undertaking to another undertaking, or other activities in violation of the obligations provided by law for an undertaking in control of an essential facility
is punishable by a fine of up to ten per cent of the aggregate worldwide turnover of the undertaking or association of undertakings.
[RT I, 05.07.2025, 1 – entry into force 06.07.2025]

§ 73⁸.  Failure to comply with special requirement concerning accounting

  Failure by an undertaking to comply with the special requirement concerning accounting provided in this Act
is punishable by a fine of up to ten per cent of the aggregate worldwide turnover of the undertaking or association of undertakings.
[RT I, 05.07.2025, 1 – entry into force 06.07.2025]

§ 73⁹.  Proceedings

  [Repealed – RT I, 05.07.2025, 1 – entry into force 06.07.2025]

§ 73¹⁰.  Obstructing application of investigative measures

 (1) Knowing obstruction of a search in competition supervision proceedings or in misdemeanour proceedings provided in §§ 73⁵, 73⁷, 73⁸, 73¹³ and 73¹⁴ of this Act, breach of a seal affixed by order of the Competition Authority or provision of false, incomplete or misleading information or unlawful refusal to provide information by a person subject to an investigative measure other than a person under supervision in competition supervision proceedings
is punishable by a fine of up to 300 fine units.

 (2) The same act, where committed by a legal person,
is punishable by a fine of up to 400,000 euros.

 (3) Performance of the activities specified in subsection 1 of this section by a person under supervision in competition supervision proceedings
is punishable by a fine of up to one per cent of the aggregate worldwide turnover of the undertaking or association of undertakings.
[RT I, 05.07.2025, 1 – entry into force 06.07.2025]

§ 73¹¹.  Violation of obligation to maintain confidentiality

 (1) Violation of the obligation to maintain confidentiality provided in § 53¹³ of this Act
is punishable by a fine of up to 300 fine units.

 (2) The same act, where committed by a legal person,
is punishable by a fine of up to 400,000 euros.
[RT I, 05.07.2025, 1 – entry into force 06.07.2025]

§ 73¹².  Violation of restriction on activities

  Knowing violation of the restriction on activities provided in § 55³ of this Act by a person released from the competition service of the Competition Authority
is punishable by a fine of up to 200 fine units.
[RT I, 05.07.2025, 1 – entry into force 06.07.2025]

§ 73¹³.  Agreements, decisions and concerted practices restricting competition

 (1) Violation of prohibition on agreements, concerted practices and decisions by associations of undertakings which restrict competition provided in § 4 of this Act or violation of Article 101 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union by an undertaking or an association of undertakings
is punishable by a fine of up to ten per cent of the aggregate worldwide turnover of the undertaking or association of undertakings.

 (2) Liability for a misdemeanour provided in subsection 1 of this section is mitigated where the person proves that, at the time of being a party to the prohibited agreement, the person did not comply with the agreement and acted in a manner respectful of fair competition in the goods market.
[RT I, 05.07.2025, 1 – entry into force 06.07.2025]

§ 73¹⁴.  Failure to comply with competition supervision measures

  Failure by an undertaking to comply with an obligation assumed by the undertaking in the course of competition supervision or with a competition supervision measure applied to the undertaking, which is provisional or terminating the supervision proceedings,
is punishable by a fine of up to five per cent of the aggregate worldwide turnover of the undertaking or association of undertakings.
[RT I, 05.07.2025, 1 – entry into force 06.07.2025]

§ 73¹⁵.  Specifications of liability of legal person

 (1) Subsection 4 of § 14 of the Penal Code does not apply to the prosecution of misdemeanours provided in §§ 73⁵–73⁸, 73¹⁰, 73¹³ and 73¹⁴ of this Act. Liability for misdemeanours does not apply to the state.

 (2) An undertaking is liable for a misdemeanour provided in §§ 73⁵–73⁸, 73¹⁰, 73¹³ and 73¹⁴ of this Act committed by an undertaking controlled by it, unless it proves that even in the case of conscientious and diligent performance it would not have had the opportunity to prevent the commission of the misdemeanour.
[RT I, 05.07.2025, 1 – entry into force 06.07.2025]

§ 73¹⁶.  Calculation of amount of fine

 (1) Where this Act prescribes the total turnover as the basis for the amount of the fine, the total turnover in the financial year preceding the imposition of the fine is taken as the basis.

 (2) Where a prohibited act committed by an association of undertakings is related to the activities of undertakings which are members of the association, the amount of the fine is calculated on the basis of the amount of the aggregate worldwide turnover of the members of the association which are active on the same goods market affected by the misdemeanour committed. In such case a fine exceeding the upper limit of the penalty may not be imposed on a person subject to proceedings.
[RT I, 05.07.2025, 1 – entry into force 06.07.2025]

§ 73¹⁷.  Imposition of fine on legal person with members

 (1) Where a fine is imposed on a legal person constituting an association of undertakings for a misdemeanour relating to competition on the basis of the turnover of its member undertakings, the legal person constituting the association may, in the event of insolvency, apply to the county court for a deferral of enforcement of the fine and, within a period specified by the court, demand a financial contribution from its members for payment of the fine. A financial contribution may be demanded from a member in proportion to the member’s share of the total turnover of the association of undertakings on the basis of which the fine was calculated.

 (2) Where the fine has not been paid in full by the time specified by the court on the basis of subsection 1 of this section, the county court orders, at the request of the Competition Authority, the enforcement of the outstanding amount of the fine against all the members whose representatives are members of the decision-making bodies of the legal person with members or who were active on the goods market where the misdemeanour took place.

 (3) The legal person specified in subsection 1 of this section may not demand the financial contribution specified in subsection 1 from its members or enforce the outstanding fine against the members who have already been punished for the same misdemeanour or who prove that they did not apply the decision of the association of undertakings, were unaware of it or have actively withdrawn from it before the commencement of the competition supervision proceedings.
[RT I, 05.07.2025, 1 – entry into force 06.07.2025]

§ 73¹⁸.  Proceedings concerning misdemeanours relating to competition

 (1) The limitation period for the misdemeanours provided in §§ 73⁶ and 73¹⁰–73¹² of this Act is three years.

 (2) The limitation period for the misdemeanours provided in §§ 73⁵, 73⁷, 73⁸, 73¹³ and 73¹⁴ of this Act is five years. The limitation period for the specified misdemeanours is suspended for the duration of the court proceedings concerning the misdemeanour and upon the delivery of a decision made on the prohibited act in the competition supervision proceedings by a competition authority of the European Commission until the time the decision made in the competition supervision proceedings can no longer be contested or until the entry into force of the judgment made on the contestation. A person is however not convicted of or punished for a misdemeanour where the period between the completion of the misdemeanour and the entry into force of the corresponding judgment is five years longer than the limitation period established for such misdemeanour.

 (3) The Competition Authority is the out-of-court proceedings authority in the misdemeanour cases provided in this Act.

 (4) Misdemeanours specified in 73⁵, 73⁷, 73⁸, 73¹⁰, 73¹³ and 73¹⁴ of this Act are heard by a county court.

 (5) Misdemeanour proceedings are not commenced and the misdemeanour proceedings commenced are terminated, in addition to the bases specified in subsection 1 of § 29 of the Code of Misdemeanour Procedure, also in the case:
 1) the competition supervision proceedings were terminated by a settlement provided in § 53²³ of this Act, in which the payment of a settlement fee was agreed with the person under supervision;
 2) it was decided to apply leniency to the undertaking and the circumstances specified in subsection 3 of § 53¹¹ of this Act do not exist.

 (6) Notwithstanding the commencement of competition supervision proceedings, the results thereof or the presence of the elements of a misdemeanour, the Competition Authority may refuse to initiate misdemeanour proceedings in respect of a misdemeanour provided in this Act and may terminate the misdemeanour proceedings initiated, in addition to the bases provided in the Code of Misdemeanour Procedure, where:
 1) in the opinion of the Competition Authority, the conduct of misdemeanour proceedings is not a priority for ensuring compliance with competition rules;
 2) in the competition supervision proceedings, the assumption of an obligation by the undertaking is approved pursuant to subsection 4 of § 53²² of this Act.

 (7) Where the misdemeanour proceedings were terminated on the basis of subsections 5 or 6 of this section, the Competition Authority may resume the misdemeanour proceedings by its order, in the case the undertaking fails to comply with the obligations assumed upon termination of the proceedings.

 (8) In proving the misdemeanours provided in §§ 73⁵, 73⁷, 73⁸, 73¹⁰, 73¹³ and 73¹⁴ of this Act, the Competition Authority may also use evidence lawfully collected in competition supervision proceedings, which the court deems admissible in misdemeanour proceedings. Evidence collected in the course of competition supervision proceedings may not be declared inadmissible in misdemeanour proceedings only because it was not collected in the course of misdemeanour proceedings. Evidence collected by a competition authority of another Member State is admissible in misdemeanour proceedings where the principles of Estonian competition supervision proceedings have not been infringed in its collection. Information which a natural person was forced to disclose in response to a request for information may not be used to prove the fault of a natural person in misdemeanour proceedings.

 (9) Evidence is presented and examined in court pursuant to the procedure provided in the Code of Misdemeanour Procedure.
[RT I, 05.07.2025, 1 – entry into force 06.07.2025]

§ 73¹⁹.  Application of leniency

 (1) The Competition Authority does not commence misdemeanour proceedings and the misdemeanour proceedings already commenced are terminated against a leniency applicant meeting the conditions for the application of leniency provided in subsection 5 of § 78¹ of this Act, who first submitted a leniency application together with information that allows the Competition Authority to apply an investigative measure provided in § 53¹⁵ in competition supervision proceedings the subject of which is a prohibited act that is described in the application and provided in § 4 of this Act or in Article 101 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union. This subsection also applies where the Competition Authority has sufficient information to apply an investigative measure provided in section § 53¹⁵ of this Act prior to the receipt of the leniency application, but the investigative measure has not yet been applied.

 (2) The Competition Authority does not commence misdemeanour proceedings and the misdemeanour proceedings already commenced are terminated against a leniency applicant meeting the conditions for the application of leniency provided in subsection 5 of § 78¹ of this Act, who first submitted a leniency application together with the information which, in the opinion of the Competition Authority, allows to find the prohibited act described in the application and provided in § 4 of this Act or in Article 101 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union. This paragraph is applied only where the Competition Authority does not have sufficient information to find a prohibited act provided in § 4 of this Act or in Article 101 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union prior to the receipt of the leniency application and subsection 1 of this section does not apply to any other leniency applicant.

 (3) Notwithstanding the provisions of subsections 1 and 2 of this section, misdemeanour proceedings may still be commenced against a leniency applicant meeting the conditions for the application of leniency provided in subsection 5 of § 78¹ of this Act where the leniency applicant has coerced other undertakings or associations of undertakings to participate in the commission of a prohibited act provided in § 4 of this Act or in Article 101 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union.

 (4) Failure to commence misdemeanour proceedings against a leniency applicant meeting the conditions for the application of leniency provided in subsection 5 of section § 78¹ of this Act on the basis specified in subsection 1 or 2 of this section does not preclude the finding of their involvement in the commission of a prohibited act provided in § 4 of this Act or in Article 101 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union in competition supervision proceedings or in misdemeanour proceedings against other persons involved in the commission of a prohibited act provided in § 4 of this Act or in Article 101 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union.

 (5) Where pursuant to subsection 1 or 2 of this section there is no basis for not commencing misdemeanour proceedings against a leniency applicant meeting the conditions for the application of leniency provided in subsection 5 of § 78¹ of this Act, the Competition Authority is required to inform at the request of the leniency applicant the court of the assistance provided by the applicant in the misdemeanour proceedings.
[RT I, 05.07.2025, 1 – entry into force 06.07.2025]

§ 73²⁰.  Notification of conditional application and non-application of leniency

  The Competition Authority makes a decision on the application or non-application of leniency provided in subsections 1 and 2 of § 73¹⁹ of this Act and forwards it without delay to the leniency applicant.
[RT I, 05.07.2025, 1 – entry into force 06.07.2025]

§ 74. – § 77. [Repealed – RT I 2002, 63, 387 – entry into force 01.09.2002]

§ 78.  Compensation for damages caused by commitment of prohibited acts

  [RT I, 26.05.2017, 1 – entry into force 05.06.2017]

 (1) Everyone has the right to compensation for proprietary damage caused to them by the commission of a prohibited act provided in Chapter 2 or Chapter 4 of this Act or in Article 101 or Article 102 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (hereinafter prohibited act).
[RT I, 05.07.2025, 1 – entry into force 06.07.2025]

 (2) Agreements or coordinated activity between competitors with the aim to coordinate their competitive behaviour on the market or to affect appropriate competition parameters, or anti-competitive activities targeted at other competitors are assumed to cause damage.
[RT I, 26.05.2017, 1 – entry into force 05.06.2017]

§ 78¹.  Leniency application

 (1) In order to apply the leniency provided in §-s 73¹⁹ of this Act, a person constituting an undertaking or an association of undertakings which participates or has participated in the commission of a prohibited act provided in § 4 of this Act or in Article 101 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union may submit a leniency application to the Competition Authority in a form reproducible in writing and recording of the date and time of receipt of the application by the Competition Authority. A person constituting an association of undertakings has the right provided in this subsection only in the case the association in engaged in business activities on behalf of the association and participates or has participated in the commission of a prohibited act provided in § 4 of this Act or in Article 101 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union also on behalf of the association and not on behalf of its member undertakings.
[RT I, 05.07.2025, 1 – entry into force 06.07.2025]

 (1¹) A leniency applicant must submit a leniency application in Estonian or together with a translation into Estonian. With the consent of the Competition Authority, the application may be submitted in another language.
[RT I, 05.07.2025, 1 – entry into force 06.07.2025]

 (2) A leniency application must contain the following information:
[RT I, 05.07.2025, 1 – entry into force 06.07.2025]
 1) the name, registration number or personal identification code, address and other contact details of the leniency applicant, and whether the leniency applicant wishes that their application be disclosed in the misdemeanour proceedings as a mitigating circumstance in case their application is rejected;
 2) information allowing identification of other undertakings or associations of undertakings who are participating or have participated in the commission of a prohibited act provided in § 4 of this Act or in Article 101 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union;
 3) a detailed description of a prohibited act provided in § 4 of this Act or in Article 101 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, including the involvement of the leniency applicant, information on the affected goods, geographical scope of the prohibited act provided in § 4 of this Act or in Article 101 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union and the time and manner of the commission of the same prohibited act;
 4) any other information known to the leniency applicant concerning a prohibited act provided in § 4 of this Act or in Article 101 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union;
 5) information on other competition authorities to whom the leniency applicant has submitted or intends to submit a leniency application.
[RT I, 05.07.2025, 1 – entry into force 06.07.2025]

 (2¹) Where it is not immediately possible to provide the information specified in subsection 2 of this section, the leniency applicant may first apply in the leniency application for a marker. For this purpose, the leniency applicant provides the Competition Authority with all the information specified in the aforementioned subsection available to the applicant together with the circumstances causing the delay in providing the other information specified in the same subsection. Where in the opinion of the Competition Authority it is justified to grant a marker for the application of leniency, it grants the leniency applicant an additional time limit for providing all the information specified in that subsection. Information submitted within the additional time limit is deemed to have been submitted on the date and time of the application.
[RT I, 05.07.2025, 1 – entry into force 06.07.2025]

 (2²) Where in the opinion of the Competition Authority it is not justified to grant the leniency applicant a marker specified in subsection 2¹ of this section, or where the Competition Authority grants the leniency applicant a marker but the leniency applicant fails to provide all the information specified in subsection 2 within the time limit, the Competition Authority rejects the leniency application.
[RT I, 05.07.2025, 1 – entry into force 06.07.2025]

 (2³) Where the leniency applicant has previously submitted to the European Commission a leniency application or an application for a marker in respect of a secret prohibited act provided in Article 101 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union affecting the territories of more than three Member States of the European Union, it may in its leniency application concerning the same prohibited act, instead of providing the information specified in subsection 2 of this Article, provide a short description of that information and indicate the Member States from which it is likely possible to collect evidence of the same prohibited act. In such case, the Competition Authority initially considers the leniency application as a simplified leniency application.
[RT I, 05.07.2025, 1 – entry into force 06.07.2025]

 (2⁴) In the case specified in subsection 2³ of this section, the European Commission is the main contact point for the leniency applicant until the European Commission decides whether to process the prohibited act provided in Article 101 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union in part or in full. In the meantime, the Competition Authority may only request from the leniency applicant explanations on specific circumstances regarding the information specified in subsection 2. All the information specified in subsection 2 may be requested by the Competition Authority prior to the specified decision of the European Commission only in exceptional circumstances, where it is necessary for the purpose of finding a prohibited act or dividing the competences of the competition authorities of the Member States.
[RT I, 05.07.2025, 1 – entry into force 06.07.2025]

 (2⁵) Where the European Commission notifies the Competition Authority of its decision not to process a secret prohibited act specified in subsection 2³ of this section and provided in § 4 of this Act or Article 101 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, the Competition Authority grants the leniency applicant an additional time limit for providing all the information specified in subsection 2. Information submitted within the additional time limit is deemed to have been submitted on the date and time of the simplified leniency application and the application is deemed to be a leniency application retrospectively in the case the prohibited act provided in § 4 of this Act or in Article 101 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union described in the application concerns the same affected goods and is of the same geographical scope and duration as in the leniency application submitted to the European Commission, which may have been updated.
[RT I, 05.07.2025, 1 – entry into force 06.07.2025]

 (2⁶) Where the Competition Authority grants the leniency applicant an additional time limit specified in subsection 2⁵ of this section but the leniency applicant fails to provide all the information specified in subsection 2 within the time limit, or the information provided indicates that the prohibited act described in the leniency application does not concern the same affected goods or is not of the same geographical scope or duration as in the leniency application submitted to the European Commission, which may have been updated, the Competition Authority rejects the leniency application.
[RT I, 05.07.2025, 1 – entry into force 06.07.2025]

 (3) [Repealed – RT I, 05.07.2025, 1 – entry into force 06.07.2025]

 (4) Where so requested by the leniency applicant, the Competition Authority immediately confirms to the applicant in writing that it has received the leniency application containing all the information specified in subsection 2 of this section or which the Competition Authority initially considers to be a simplified leniency application, indicating the date and time of receipt by the Competition Authority.
[RT I, 05.07.2025, 1 – entry into force 06.07.2025]

 (4¹) Where the Competition Authority initially considers a leniency application submitted to it as a simplified leniency application, it immediately confirms to the leniency applicant whether the leniency applicant is the first leniency applicant in respect of the prohibited act provided in § 4 of this Act or in Article 101 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union. Where the leniency applicant is the first leniency applicant in respect of a prohibited act, the Competition Authority also informs the leniency applicant whether its leniency application meets the conditions provided in subsection 2³ of this section.
[RT I, 05.07.2025, 1 – entry into force 06.07.2025]

 (5) For the application of leniency, the following conditions shall be met:
 1) a leniency application complies with the requirements provided in subsections 1–2 of this section;
[RT I, 05.07.2025, 1 – entry into force 06.07.2025]
 2) the leniency applicant immediately terminates with the approval of the Competition Authority participation in committing a prohibited act provided in § 4 of this Act or in Article 101 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, unless the continuation of the participation in committing the prohibited act is necessary in the opinion of the Competition Authority to ensure the integrity of the competition supervision proceedings;
[RT I, 05.07.2025, 1 – entry into force 06.07.2025]
 3) [repealed – RT I, 05.07.2025, 1 – entry into force 06.07.2025]
 4) the leniency applicant co-operates at its own expense fully, continuously and in good faith with the Competition Authority until the end of the proceedings in respect of the prohibited act provided in § 4 of this Act or in Article 101 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, including by being available to the Competition Authority to respond to any request for information that may assist in establishing the facts relating to the prohibited act, and allows the Competition Authority to question natural persons associated with it and makes reasonable efforts to allow natural persons previously associated with it to be questioned;
[RT I, 05.07.2025, 1 – entry into force 06.07.2025]
 5) [repealed – RT I, 05.07.2025, 1 – entry into force 06.07.2025]
 6) the leniency applicant has not falsified, destroyed or hidden any relevant information before or after the submission of a leniency application;
[RT I, 05.07.2025, 1 – entry into force 06.07.2025]
 7) the leniency applicant has not disclosed the facts relating to the submission of the leniency application and the substance of the application to any person other than the other competition authority without the permission of the Competition Authority before or after the submission of the application, but before the complaints in the case were made for the purposes of § 78²⁷ of this Act.
[RT I, 05.07.2025, 1 – entry into force 06.07.2025]

§ 78².  Passing on to indirect purchaser of actual loss caused by commitment of prohibited acts

 (1) If an indirect purchaser has proven that it has acquired goods that were the object of a prohibited act or goods containing them or derived therefrom, it is assumed that the indirect purchaser has proven the passing on of actual loss caused to it by the commitment of the prohibited act by the direct purchaser.

 (2) Direct purchaser is a person who acquires from an undertaking committing a prohibited act goods that are the object of the prohibited act.

 (3) Indirect purchaser is a person who acquires from a direct purchaser or a subsequent purchaser specified in subsection 2 of this section goods that are the object of a prohibited act or goods containing them or derived therefrom.
[RT I, 26.05.2017, 1 – entry into force 05.06.2017]

§ 78³.  Passing on to indirect provider of actual loss caused by commitment of prohibited acts

 (1) If an indirect provider has proven that it has transferred goods that were the object of a prohibited act or goods containing them or derived therefrom, it is assumed that the indirect provider has proven the passing on of actual loss caused to it by the commitment of the prohibited act by the direct purchaser.

 (2) Direct provider is a person who transfers to an undertaking committing a prohibited act goods that are the object of the prohibited act.

 (3) Indirect provider is a person who transfers to a direct provider or a subsequent provider specified in subsection 2 of this section goods that are the object of a prohibited act or goods containing them or derived therefrom.
[RT I, 26.05.2017, 1 – entry into force 05.06.2017]

§ 78⁴.  Defences and mutual relations of solidary obligors committing prohibited acts

 (1) If a solidary obligor who commits a prohibited act is a small or medium-sized undertaking then it is only required to perform obligations to its direct and indirect purchaser and to its direct and indirect provider if:
 1) its market share in the relevant market was below 5 per cent during the commitment of the prohibited act; and
 2) the application of subsection 1 of § 65 would render it permanently insolvent.

 (2) For the purpose of this section, a small or medium-sized undertaking is a person engaged in business or professional activities with fewer than 250 employees and whose annual turnover is up to 50 million euros, or whose annual balance sheet total is up to 43 million euros.

 (3) The exception prescribed in subsection 1 of this section shall not apply if:
 1) the small or medium-sized undertaking has led the commitment of the prohibited act or coarsed other undertakings to participate therein;
 2) the small or medium-sized undertaking has previously been found to have committed a prohibited act; or
 3) obligees, who are not the direct or indirect purchasers nor direct or indirect providers of a small or medium-sized undertaking, cannot satisfy their claim against other solidary obligors.

 (4) Where the Competition Authority has, based on subsection 1 or 2 of § 73¹⁹ of this Act, or where a competition authority of another Member State or the European Commission has applied leniency to the solidary obligor who committed a prohibited act (hereinafter solidary obligor released from penalty), the solidary obligor who has been released from its penalty must perform its obligation only to its direct and indirect purchaser and direct or indirect provider. The solidary obligor who has been released from penalty is required to perform its obligation to other obligees only where the obligees cannot satisfy the claim against other obligers.
[RT I, 05.07.2025, 1 – entry into force 06.07.2025]

 (5) In relations between solidary obligors the solidary obligor who has been released from punishment is only required to perform its obligation to the extent for which it is liable to its direct and indirect purchaser and its direct and indirect provider. If the commitment of a prohibited act causes damages to other market participants in addition to the direct and indirect purchasers and direct and indirect providers of solidary obligors, the solidary obligor who is released from punishment in mutual relations is liable for the damage caused to other market participants pursuant to the procedure provided for in subsection 1 of § 69 of the Law of Obligations Act.
[RT I, 26.05.2017, 1 – entry into force 05.06.2017]

§ 78⁵.  Compromise agreement between solidary obligor who committed prohibited act and obligee

 (1) As a result of a compromise agreement between a solidary obligor who committed a prohibited act and the obligee, the solidary obligation of the solidary obligor to the obligee remains in force, except in cases where the parties of the compromise agreement have expressly agreed on the expiration of the solidary obligation.

 (2) If there is no expressly stated agreement as specified in subsection 1 of this section, the party of the compromise agreement who is a solidary obligor is liable to perform the obligation of other obligors only if the party of the compromise agreement who is the obligee cannot satisfy the claim against other obligors.
[RT I, 26.05.2017, 1 – entry into force 05.06.2017]

§ 78⁶.  Start of calculation of penalty for late payment for claims arising from commitment of prohibited acts

  For claims resulting from the commitment of prohibited acts the penalty for late payment on the money owed shall be calculated as of the moment when the claim falls due.
[RT I, 26.05.2017, 1 – entry into force 05.06.2017]

§ 78⁷.  Limitation period for claims arising from commitment of prohibited acts

 (1) The limitation period for a claim arising from the commitment of a prohibited act is five years as of the moment the entitled person became or should have become aware of the damage and of the person obligated to compensate for the damage, but not before the commitment of the prohibited act has ceased.

 (2) The limitation period for a claim arising from the commission of a prohibited act is suspended with the first procedural act by the body conducting proceedings concerning the commission of the prohibited act. The suspension of the limitation period ends one year after the passing of the time limit for the contestation of the precept terminating the proceedings which caused the suspension in the case no complaint has been submitted, or after the proceedings based on which the suspension took effect is terminated following the entry into force of a corresponding judgment, or after terminating the proceedings in another manner.
[RT I, 05.07.2025, 1 – entry into force 06.07.2025]

Chapter 9¹ PROCEDURAL PROVISIONS  
[RT I, 26.05.2017, 1 - entry into force 05.06.2017]

§ 78⁸.  Collection of evidence in proceedings of claims arising from commitment of prohibited acts

 (1) A court may refuse to collect evidence in the proceedings of a claim arising from the commitment of a prohibited act if such evidence contain business secrets or other confidential information, primarily concerning third parties which the court does not find to be proportionate in proving the facts of the claim.

 (2) A court may collect the following evidence in the proceedings of a claim arising from the commission of a prohibited act only where the body conducting proceedings concerning the prohibited act or the court conducting the proceedings concerning the prohibited act (hereinafter person conducting the proceedings) has terminated its proceedings:
[RT I, 05.07.2025, 1 – entry into force 06.07.2025]
 1) evidence that the person has drawn up for the proceedings of the prohibited act;
 2) evidence that the person conducting the proceedings has drawn up in the proceedings and sent to the participants in the proceedings;
 3) settlement submissions in the proceedings of the prohibited act which have been withdrawn.

 (3) For the purposes of this Act, a settlement submission is a voluntary presentation by, or on behalf of, an undertaking to the European Commission or to a competition authority of a Member State, describing the undertaking's acknowledgement of its participation in an infringement of provisions provided in Articles 101 or 102 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union or in the infringement of such a provision of law of a Member State the main objective of which is the same as Articles 101 and 102 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union and which are applied to the same matter parallel to Article 101 or 102 as prescribed by Article 3(1) of regulation (EC) No 1/2003; or the undertaking's renunciation to dispute its participation and its responsibility for that infringement, which has been drawn up specifically to enable the European Commission or a competition authority of a Member State to apply a simplified of expedited procedure.

 (4) A court shall not organise the collection of the following evidence in the proceedings of a claim arising from the commitment of a prohibited act:
 1) leniency applications specified in § 78¹ of this Act submitted to the Competition Authority in the proceedings of the prohibited act, including the record of interrogation of the leniency applicant, or leniency applications submitted to a competition authority of another Member State or to the European Commission in the proceedings of the prohibited act;
 2) settlement submissions in the proceedings of the prohibited act as provided in subsection 3 of this section, except in the case provided for in clause 3 of subsection 2 of this section.
[RT I, 26.05.2017, 1 – entry into force 05.06.2017]

§ 78⁹.  Admissibility of evidence in proceedings of claims arising from commitment of prohibited acts

 (1) A court refuses to accept evidence in the proceedings of a claim arising from the commitment of a prohibited act and returns submitted evidence if it is evidence provided in subsection 2 of § 78⁸ of this Act, which the person submitting the evidence has acquired through personal examination of or by means of a third party examining the evidence contained in the file on the prohibited act of the person conducting the proceedings.

 (2) A court refuses to accept evidence in the proceedings of a claim arising from the commitment of a prohibited act and returns submitted evidence if it is evidence provided in subsection 4 of § 78⁸ of this Act, which the person submitting the evidence has acquired through personal examination of or by means of a third party examining the evidence contained in the file on the prohibited act of the person conducting the proceedings.

 (3) If the participant in the proceedings submits to the court in the proceedings of a claim arising from a commitment of a prohibited act evidence, which it has acquired through personal examination of the evidence contained in the file on the prohibited act of the person conducting the proceedings, and which is not part of the evidence provided in subsections 1 and 2 of this section, the court has the right to accept the said evidence. The court has the right to accept evidence specified in the first sentence of this section also in the case where it is submitted by a legal successor of a participant in the proceedings who has personally examined the evidence contained in the file on the prohibited act of the person conducting the proceedings, including by a person who has taken over its claim.
[RT I, 26.05.2017, 1 – entry into force 05.06.2017]

§ 78¹⁰.  Organisation of collection of evidence in proceedings of claims arising from commitment of prohibited acts

 (1) A court shall forward the request for the collection of evidence submitted in the proceedings of a claim arising from the commitment of a prohibited act to the person conducting the proceedings of the prohibited act if such evidence is also contained in the file on the prohibited act of the person conducting the proceedings. The person conducting the proceedings may submit its opinion on the request for the collection of evidence specified in the first sentence of this section within the term set by the court.

 (2) If it is necessary to collect evidence in order to examine a piece of evidence in the proceedings of a claim arising from the commitment of a prohibited act, a court shall organise the collection of evidence from the person conducting the proceedings of the prohibited act only if it is not reasonably possible to organise such a collection of evidence from any other participant in the proceedings or from third parties.
[RT I, 26.05.2017, 1 – entry into force 05.06.2017]

§ 78¹¹.  Suspension of proceedings of claims arising from commitment of prohibited acts at a joint request of parties

  A court may suspend the proceedings of a claim arising from the commitment of a prohibited act at the joint request of parties for up to two years if it can be assumed that it is expedient due to ongoing compromise negotiations.
[RT I, 26.05.2017, 1 – entry into force 05.06.2017]

§ 78¹².  Consequences of finding prohibited acts committed

  [RT I, 05.07.2025, 1 – entry into force 06.07.2025]
A finding by the Competition Authority that a prohibited act has been committed is binding on the court hearing the action arising from the commission of the prohibited act, where the administrative decision finding the prohibited act has not been challenged within the time limit or where a court judgment has entered into force on the basis of which the administrative decision finding the prohibited act remains in force.
[RT I, 05.07.2025, 1 – entry into force 06.07.2025]

Chapter 9² CO-OPERATION IN EUROPEAN UNION 
[RT I, 05.07.2025, 1 - entry into force 06.07.2025]

§ 78¹³.  Implementation of Council Regulation (EC) 1/2003

 (1) The Competition Authority may, for the purposes and on the conditions provided in Article 22(1) of Council Regulation (EC) No 1/2003, apply the investigative measures provided in §§ 53¹⁵ and 53¹⁷ of this Act.

 (2) Where the European Commission has requested the Competition Authority to inspect an undertaking or an association of undertakings pursuant to Article 22(2) of Council Regulation (EC) No 1/2003, the Competition Authority conducts the inspection pursuant to the provisions of § 53¹⁵ of this Act.

 (3) An administrative court grants a permission to the European Commission for conducting an inspection on the conditions and pursuant to the procedure provided in Article 21(1) of Council Regulation (EC) No 1/2003 on the basis of the provisions of the Code of Administrative Court Procedure on the grant of permission for an administrative operation.

 (4) The European Commission is assisted by the police pursuant to Articles 20(6) and 21(4) of Council Regulation (EC) No 1/2003. Upon provision of assistance, the police may use direct coercion insofar as it is unavoidable for the achievement of the objective. Direct coercion is applied pursuant to the procedure provided in the Law Enforcement Act, taking account of the specifications of Council Regulation (EC) No 1/2003.
[RT I, 05.07.2025, 1 – entry into force 06.07.2025]

§ 78¹⁴.  Application of investigative measure on behalf of and in interest of competition authority of another Member State

 (1) In addition to the provisions of Council Regulation (EC) No 1/2003, the Competition Authority may, at the request of the competition authority of another Member State, apply the investigative measures provided in §§ 53¹⁵ and 53¹⁷ of this Act on behalf and in the interest of that authority to determine whether an undertaking or an association of undertakings has been subject to the investigative measures under Articles 6 and 8–12 of Directive (EU) 2019/1 of the European Parliament and of the Council to empower the competition authorities of the Member States to be more effective enforcers and to ensure the proper functioning of the internal market (OJ L 11, 14.01.2019, pp 3–33) or to orders issued and decisions made under the same Articles. A person subject to an investigative measure has, in the application of the investigative measure to the person, all the relevant rights of a person under supervision provided in Chapter7² of this Act.

 (2) The Competition Authority involves, at the request of the competition authority of another Member State, an official of the competition authority of that other Member State and a person designated by the same authority accompanying the official in the application of an investigative measure provided in § 53¹⁵ and in the conduct of an interview provided in § 53¹⁷ of this Act, where the Competition Authority applies the investigative measure under Article 22 of Council Regulation (EC) No 1/2003 on behalf and in the interest of the competition authority of that other Member State.
[RT I, 05.07.2025, 1 – entry into force 06.07.2025]

§ 78¹⁵.  Cross-border information exchange

 (1) The Competition Authority may submit information collected in the course of the application of an investigative measure for the purposes specified in subsection 1 of § 78¹⁴ of this Act to the competition authority of another Member State on whose behalf and in whose interest the investigative measure was applied. Where that authority has applied investigative measures pursuant to Articles 6–9 of Directive (EU) 2019/1 of the European Parliament and of the Council for the same purposes on behalf and in the interest of the Competition Authority, the Competition Authority may receive the collected information from that authority and use it on the conditions provided in Article 12 of Council Regulation (EC) No 1/2003.

 (2) The Competition Authority may, pursuant to the procedure for the exchange of information provided in Article 12 of Council Regulation (EC) No 1/2003, transmit to or receive from a competition authority of another Member State a leniency application and use it only:
 1) with the consent of the leniency applicant; or
 2) where the competition authority to which the competition authority of another Member State transmits a leniency application has received a leniency application in respect of the same violation from the same leniency applicant, provided that, during the exchange of information, the leniency applicant may not withdraw the information which it has provided to the competition authority to which the competition authority of the other Member State transmits a leniency application pursuant to the procedure for the exchange of information procedure.
[RT I, 05.07.2025, 1 – entry into force 06.07.2025]

§ 78¹⁶.  Cross-border notification and delivery of document

  At the request of a competition authority of another Member State, the Competition Authority immediately, on behalf of that authority and under the conditions and pursuant to the procedure provided in the Administrative Procedure Act, notifies a person of or delivers to a person the following documents addressed to that person:
 1) complaints made in a case concerning the commission of a prohibited act and the decision applying the same Articles;
 2) an order given or decision made in ensuring compliance with Article 101 or 102 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, which under the law of another Member State must be notified or delivered to the addressee;
 3) any other relevant document applying Article 101 or 102 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, including a document relating to the enforcement of a decision by a competition authority of another Member State imposing a fine or non-compliance levy.
[RT I, 05.07.2025, 1 – entry into force 06.07.2025]

§ 78¹⁷.  Cross-border enforcement of decision imposing fine or non-compliance levy

 (1) At the request of the competition authority of another Member State, the Competition Authority immediately submits to a bailiff on behalf of that authority a claim arising from a decision entered into force or enforceable pursuant to Articles 13 and 16 of Directive (EU) 2019/1 of the European Parliament and of the Council, where that authority has established, after having made reasonable efforts in its own territory, that the undertaking or association of undertakings on which a fine or non-compliance levy has been imposed lacks sufficient funds to satisfy the claim in that other Member State. Otherwise, the Competition Authority may refuse to enforce a claim arising from that decision on behalf of the competition authority of another Member State.

 (2) A request specified in subsection 1 of this section together with a copy of the decision specified in the same subsection constitutes a foreign court judgment subject to enforcement in Estonia without recognition for the purposes of clause 5 of subsection 1 of § 2 of the Code of Enforcement Procedure or a foreign official document subject to enforcement in Estonia without recognition for the purposes of clause 5¹ of the same subsection.

 (3) A claim of another Member State specified in subsection 1 of this section in a foreign currency is converted into euros in the enforcement proceedings on the basis of the daily exchange rate of the European Central Bank on the date of the decision specified in the same subsection.

 (4) The law of another Member State applies to the limitation period for the enforcement of a claim arising from a decision specified in subsection 1 of this section.
[RT I, 05.07.2025, 1 – entry into force 06.07.2025]

§ 78¹⁸.  Request for cross-border notification, delivery and enforcement of document

 (1) A request specified in § 78¹⁶ and subsection 1 of § 78¹⁷ of this Act must be submitted together with a copy of the document specified in § 78¹⁶ the notification or delivery of which is requested, or by a copy of the decision specified in subsection 1 of § 78¹⁷ of this Act the enforcement of which is requested.

 (2) A request specified in subsection 1 of this section must contain the following:
 1) the name of the person to whom the document is addressed or of the debtor, the known address and other information enabling identification;
 2) a summary of the relevant facts and other circumstances;
 3) a summary of the document the notification or delivery of which is requested or a copy of the decision the enforcement of which is requested;
 4) contact details of the Competition Authority;
 5) the time limit under the law of another Member State during which the document must be notified or delivered to the addressee or the decision executed.

 (3) In addition to the provisions of subsection 2 of this section, a request specified in subsection 1 of § 78¹⁷ of this Act must also contain the following:
 1) information on the decision the enforcement of which is requested;
 2) the date on which the decision the enforcement of which is requested entered into force or became enforceable;
 3) the amount of the fine or non-compliance levy;
 4) where applicable, information on the reasonable efforts made by the competition authority of the other Member State to enforce the decision on its territory.

 (4) A request specified in § 78¹⁶ and subsection 1 of § 78¹⁷ of this Act must be in Estonian. With the consent of the Competition Authority, the request may be in another language. Where necessary, the Competition Authority or the bailiff may request the competition authority of another Member State who submitted the request to translate the copy specified in subsection 1 of this section into Estonian.
[RT I, 05.07.2025, 1 – entry into force 06.07.2025]

§ 78¹⁹.  Refusal of cross-border notification, delivery and enforcement of document

 (1) The Competition Authority refuses to notify of or deliver a document specified in § 78¹⁶ of this Act to a person on the basis of a request specified in the same section or to enforce a decision specified in subsection 1 of § 78¹⁷ of this Act on the basis of a request specified in the same subsection, where:
 1) the request fails to comply with the requirements provided in 78¹⁸ of this Act or
 2) the notification or delivery of the document or the enforcement of the decision would be manifestly contrary to public policy in Estonia.

 (2) The Competition Authority informs the competition authority of the other Member State of the refusal specified in subsection 1 of this section.
[RT I, 05.07.2025, 1 – entry into force 06.07.2025]

§ 78²⁰.  Expenses relating to cross-border co-operation

 (1) The Competition Authority has the right to claim compensation of reasonable expenses incurred in the course of the co-operation provided in §§ 78¹⁴–78¹⁶ of this Act from the competition authority of the other Member State that has submitted a request for co-operation provided in the specified sections.

 (2) Where a bailiff fails to enforce an enforceable title specified in subsection 2 of § 78¹⁷ of this Act, the bailiff may request the payment of enforcement costs from the claimant.
[RT I, 05.07.2025, 1 – entry into force 06.07.2025]

§ 78²¹.  Jurisdiction and applicable law in cross-border co-operation

 (1) A case falls in the jurisdiction of the courts of another Member State and the law of that other Member State is applied to a case where the subject of the case is:
 1) the legality of a document of another Member State specified in § 78¹⁶ or of a decision of another Member State specified in subsection 1 of § 78¹⁷ of this Act; or
 2) the compliance of a request specified in subsection 1 of § 78¹⁷ of this Act with the requirements.

 (2) A case falls in the jurisdiction of an Estonian court and Estonian law applies to a case where the subject of the case is:
 1) the legality of the notification or delivery in the territory of Estonia of a document of another Member State specified in § 78¹⁶ of this Act; or
 2) an appeal against a decision or action of a bailiff in enforcement proceedings conducted in the territory of Estonia for the enforcement of a decision of another Member State specified in subsection 1 of § 78¹⁷ of this Act.
[RT I, 05.07.2025, 1 – entry into force 06.07.2025]

§ 78²².  Request by Competition Authority for cross-border co-operation

  Under the same conditions and pursuant to the same procedure as a request for cross-border co-operation submitted to the Competition Authority by a competition authority of another Member State as provided in this Chapter, the Competition Authority may also submit a request to a competition authority of another Member State or, where appropriate, to another competent authority of another Member State, where the Competition Authority considers it necessary to achieve in another Member State the same result as the competition authority of another Member State seeks to achieve in the territory of Estonia by a request under this Chapter.
[RT I, 05.07.2025, 1 – entry into force 06.07.2025]

Chapter 10 IMPLEMENTING PROVISIONS  

§ 79. – § 86. [Omitted from this text.]

§ 87.  Implementation of Act

 (1) This Act applies to all agreements, concerted practices and decisions which restrict competition and are in force at the moment of the entry into force of this Act and which are carried out thereafter.

 (2) Proceedings initiated before the entry into force of this Act shall be conducted pursuant to the Act in force at the time of initiation of the proceedings concerning the case.

 (3) Permission granted in any form or pursuant to any procedure to an undertaking by the state or a local government before 1 October 1998 which enables the undertaking to have a competitive advantage over other undertakings in a goods market or to be the only undertaking in the market shall also be deemed to be a special or exclusive right.

 (4) The Government of the Republic and its ministers shall bring the regulations passed on the basis of the Competition Act into conformity with this Act within three months after the entry into force of this Act.

 (5) Subsection 4 of § 33 and subsection 3 of § 49 of this Act shall be in force until 31 December 2011.
[RT I 2007, 60, 384 – entry into force 01.01.2008]

 (6) Subsections 4² and 4³ of § 33 of this Act shall be in force until 31 December 2012.
[RT I, 27.06.2012, 3 – entry into force 07.07.2012]

 (7) The provisions of §§ 78⁸–78¹² of this Act apply to a civil matter which has been accepted after the entry into force of the specified sections.
[RT I, 26.05.2017, 1 – entry into force 05.06.2017]

 (8) Subsections 4, 5 and 9 of § 42 of this Act shall be applied retroactively in all the established cases of unlawful or misused state aid.
[RT I, 02.06.2021, 2 – entry into force 01.07.2021]

 (9) Subsections 6–8 and 10 of § 42 of this Act shall be applied in the established cases of unlawful or misused state aid if state aid has been granted as of 1 July 2021.
[RT I, 02.06.2021, 2 – entry into force 01.07.2021]

§ 87¹.  Application of competition supervision proceedings

 (1) Upon entry into force of § 53⁶ of this Act, pending criminal proceedings concerning a criminal offence provided in § 400 of the Penal Code are terminated by order of the body conducting proceedings, and the evidence collected in the criminal proceedings is forwarded to the Competition Authority for making a decision on initiating competition supervision proceedings and misdemeanour proceedings. The limitation period for an act that is the subject of the terminated criminal proceedings continues in the misdemeanour proceedings.

 (2) Upon entry into force of § 53⁶ of this Act, the pending state supervision or administrative supervision proceedings concerning a potential violation relating to competition are continued as competition supervision proceedings in accordance with the provisions of this Act. The Competition Authority informs the parties to the proceedings of the change of the procedure for proceedings, explaining their rights and obligations in competition supervision proceedings.

 (3) Evidence collected in other proceedings may be used in competition supervision proceedings in the case the use of such evidence is admissible in competition supervision proceedings.
[RT I, 05.07.2025, 1 – entry into force 06.07.2025]

§ 87².  Follow-up evaluation of regulation of competition supervision proceedings

  The Ministry of Justice and Digital Affairs analyses by 1 June 2030 the practicability of competition supervision proceedings and the effects of application thereof, and, where necessary, submits proposals for amendment of the regulation.
[RT I, 05.07.2025, 1 – entry into force 06.07.2025]

§ 88.  [Repealed – RT I 2004, 25, 168 – entry into force 01.05.2004]

§ 89.  Repeal of Act

[Omitted from this text.]

§ 90.  Entry into force of Act

 (1) This Act enters into force on 1 October 2001.
[RT I 2007, 60, 384 – entry into force 01.01.2008]

 (2) Section 49² of this Act enters into force on 1 January 2009.
[RT I 2007, 60, 384 – entry into force 01.01.2008]

¹Directive 2014/104/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council on certain rules governing actions for damages under national law for infringements of the competition law provisions of the Member States and of the European Union (OJ L 349, 05.12.2014, p. 1–19); Directive (EU) 2019/1 of the European Parliament and of the Council to empower the competition authorities of the Member States to be more effective enforcers and to ensure the proper functioning of the internal market (OJ L 11, 14.01.2019, pp 3–33).
[RT I, 05.07.2025, 1 – entry into force 06.07.2025]