The Finnish Competition and Consumer Authority (FCCA) has launched a formal investigation into suspected anticompetitive practices in the country’s asphalt paving market, signaling what could become one of Finland’s most significant cartel cases in recent years.
In a statement published on 21 May, the FCCA confirmed that it had carried out unannounced inspections at the business premises of several companies operating in the asphalt sector. The authority is examining whether there has been “prohibited cooperation between competitors” — a potential breach of Finnish and EU competition law.
The inspections represent a preliminary investigative step under the Finnish Competition Act and do not in themselves imply that the companies involved have engaged in unlawful conduct.
Two companies have publicly acknowledged their involvement in the process. GRK Suomi, a subsidiary of infrastructure firm GRK Infra, confirmed that its offices were among those inspected. Separately, construction group Peab Industri stated that it is cooperating fully with the FCCA, emphasizing that the launch of the investigation “does not in itself mean that [the company] has been guilty of anti-competitive conduct or that the outcome of the investigation can be preempted.”
The FCCA has not disclosed the full list of companies targeted during the inspections.
In a development, the authority confirmed on 19 June that the scope of the investigation had been expanded to include the private homes of certain individuals. These home inspections were authorized by the Market Court — a legal prerequisite for any non-business premises search under Finnish law.
The FCCA has not provided further details about the individuals involved or the specific nature of the evidence being sought. The agency emphasized that it would not comment further while the investigation is ongoing.
This latest probe echoes a notorious case from the early 2000s, in which several major asphalt contractors — including Lemminkäinen (now part of YIT) — were found to have operated a long-running price-fixing and market-sharing cartel between 1994 and 2002. That case resulted in estimated overcharges of €478 million and remains one of the largest antitrust enforcement actions in Finnish history.
While the current investigation remains in its early stages, the FCCA’s actions indicate sustained vigilance over competition practices in public infrastructure sectors such as roadbuilding. The authority stated it will review the findings from its inspections and other investigative measures before deciding whether to initiate formal infringement proceedings.
The FCCA has encouraged members of the public to report suspected competition violations via its website. Tips may be submitted anonymously.
For now, the Finnish asphalt sector — and public procurement stakeholders — await the next steps in what could become a landmark enforcement case.
