Digital markets, antitrust enforcement, and the challenges of price transparency topped the agenda at this year’s Nordic Competition Meeting, hosted in early September by the Norwegian Competition Authority.
The annual gathering, which has brought together Nordic competition authorities for more than six decades, convened around 70 representatives from agencies and ministries across the region. Former EU Commissioner for Competition Margrethe Vestager opened the event with a keynote address on digital market enforcement. She underscored the importance of interoperability — ensuring digital systems can work seamlessly together — as a tool to foster open markets and competitive environments.
Academic perspectives on antitrust enforcement were presented by Associate Professor Ingrid Barlund and Professor Lars Sørgard, who highlighted how Nordic authorities detect, investigate, and sanction anti-competitive conduct. The program also included country-specific updates, such as Denmark’s first-ever market investigation under new competition tools introduced last year.
Seminars on Price Transparency and Data Analytics
Themed seminars, a staple of the meeting, focused on practical challenges facing enforcers. The Swedish Competition Authority led discussions on price transparency, drawing on current government assignments related to building materials and animal health care. Sessions also highlighted the growing role of data analytics in detecting and investigating potential violations, as well as methods for evaluating the effectiveness of competition authority activities.
Strengthening Cross-Border Investigations
Directors General from the Nordic authorities discussed how to improve cooperation in cross-border investigations — an increasingly pressing issue as markets globalize. Under an existing Nordic cooperation agreement, agencies can already assist one another with investigative measures and exchange confidential information, complementing the broader EU framework.
A Longstanding Model of Regional Cooperation
Nordic cooperation on competition enforcement dates back over 65 years, making it one of the oldest and most extensive regional partnerships of its kind worldwide. The collaboration is frequently cited internationally as a model for effective regional competition policy, benefitting consumers through joint enforcement actions, market studies, and shared expertise.
To deepen this partnership, staff from the Nordic competition authorities regularly meet in both physical and digital formats to exchange knowledge, ensuring that cooperation continues to evolve in step with new market realities.
