The Norwegian Competition Authority is an independent regulatory agency whose activities are based on laws and decisions adopted by the Norwegian parliament (Storting), the government and the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Fisheries. The Norwegian Competition Authority also engages in extensive international cooperation. Through the EEA Agreement, competition rules mirroring the rules of the EU are implemented and enforced in Norway. The Norwegian Competition Authority aim is to ensure well-functioning markets for the benefit of consumers and society at large. Our mission is to help ensure efficient use of the society’s resources by promoting competition, for the benefit of consumers and businesses in various national markets. Our primary objective is that players operating in Norwegian markets comply with the competition rules, as competition is a way of achieving well-functioning markets. It is our task to enforce the Norwegian Competition Act. The Norwegian Competition Authority works with three main areas of competition law: unlawful cooperation (Section 10), abuse of a dominant position (Section 11) and control of mergers and acquisitions (Section 16). Failure to enforce the law in these three areas could weaken competition to the detriment of consumers and society at large, in the form of higher prices, less choice, poorer quality and a reduced rate of innovation. By providing guidance and engaging in a dialogue with the business community, by effectively enforcing the Competition Act, by adopting decisions imposing administrative fines and through effective communication, the Authority will prevent and put an end to anti-competitive practices. Our assessments and decisions shall be of the highest international standard, and we will act with the utmost professionalism and respect in relation to parties involved in our cases.
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Competition in the Norwegian market for air travel may be impaired if Norwegian is permitted to acquire Widerøe. Norwegian Competition Authority therefore needs to conduct further analyses of the acquisition. In early July 2023, Norwegian announced an intent to acquire Widerøe. The Norwegian (...)
48
Supreme Court of Norway allows Schibsted to acquire Nettbil* The Supreme Court of Norway has dismissed the Competition Authority’s appeal against the Court of Appeal‘s judgment annulling the decision of the Competition Tribunal of 27 May 2021 prohibiting the acquisition by Schibsted of (...)
65
Five operators in Norwegian book market fined 545 million NOK* The Norwegian Competition Authority is imposing fines to the total amount of 545 million NOK on Norway’s four biggest publishing houses and the provider of the database Bokbasen for being in breach of the Competition Act. These (...)
106
Closes investigation against industry association* The Norwegian Competition Authority has been investigating an industry association for possible anticompetitive behaviour since 2020. After an overall assessment of the available facts, the Authority has now decided to close the (...)
49
The Court of Appeal allows Schibsted to acquire Nettbil* The Gulating Court of Appeal has today repealed the decision of the Competition Tribunal of 27 May 2021. The Court does not agree with the Norwegian Competition Authority that Schibsted’s acquisition of Nettbil would significantly (...)
56
The Competition Appeals Tribunal repeals the Norwegian Competition Authority’s block of DNB’s acquisition of Sbanken* The Competition Appeals Tribunal today repealed the Norwegian Competition Authority’s decision against DNB’s acquisition of Sbanken. – We will now take a careful look at (...)
29
Inspection in a finance related market* The Norwegian Competition Authority has in February carried out an unannounced inspection in a finance related market. – The Competition Authority has concerns that the conduct of a company in a finance related market may restrict competition. The (...)
35
Inspection in the market for construction services* The Norwegian Competition Authority has in early February carried out unannounced inspections in the market for construction services. The Competition Authority has concerns that companies in the market for construction services have (...)
81
Disclosure requirements for companies operating in the electric car charging market* The Norwegian Competition Authority introduces disclosure requirements for the five largest operators in the market for rapid and ultra-rapid charging of electric cars. This means that the companies Mer, (...)
93
Decision in Foodora case: exclusivity agreements with restaurants not allowed* The Norwegian Competition Authority is closing its investigation of Foodora as the company has agreed not to use exclusivity agreements or exclusive practices towards restaurants regarding the use of Foodora’s (...)
45
Final judgment in the Verisure case* Verisure has paid the fine of NOK 766 million for illegal cooperation with the competitor Sector. Verisure has decided not to appeal the decision, which means that the case is now final on behalf of the Norwegian Competition Authority. On 25 November (...)
34
Telenor judgment final – fine of NOK 788 million upheld* The Supreme Court’s Appeals Selection Committee has declined to review the appeal from Telenor. Thereby, the judgment of the Court of Appeal is final and the fine of NOK 788 million imposed on Telenor for abuse of a dominant position (...)
58
Verisure’s appeal dismissed* The Competition Tribunal has upheld the Competition Authority’s decision finding that Verisure has violated the Competition Act by coordinating illegally with Sector Alarm, and that the conduct at issue constituted a restriction of competition by object. The (...)
29
DNB not allowed to acquire Sbanken* The Norwegian Competition Authority has decided to prohibit DNB’s acquisition of Sbanken. After having considered the proposed remedies, the Authority is still of the view that the acquisition will weaken competition in the market for mutual funds. (...)
213
The Norwegian Competition Authority imposes a fine of NOK 3 million on St1 Norge AS* The Norwegian Competition Authority has today imposed a fine of NOK 3 million on St1 Norge AS for breach of disclosure requirements when it took control over a petrol station belonging to a competing chain. (...)
205
Competition Tribunal upholds decision to block Schibsted’s acquisition of Nettbil* The Competition Tribunal agrees with the Norwegian Competition Authority that Schibsted’s acquisition of Nettbil should be prohibited. Schibsted ASA and Nettbil AS operate competing digital marketplaces for (...)
149
Bonnier Books withdraws notification of merger* Bonnier Books has informed the Norwegian Competition Authority that it withdraws the notification of the merger between Bonnier Books Holding AB and Strawberry Publishing Norge AS. The transaction was notified to the Norwegian Competition (...)
51
Nordic Competition Authorities: Online pharmacies can increase competition in the pharmacy sector* The Nordic Competition Authorities have 14.4.2021 published a joint memorandum on online pharmacy markets in the Nordics. The memorandum finds that the size and regulation of online pharmacy (...)
189
The Authority repeals decision against Norgesgruppen* The Norwegian Competition Authority has decided to repeal its decision to impose a fine of 20 million NOK on Norgesgruppen for an infringement of disclosure requirements related to an acquisition by Norgesgruppen of the company (...)
196
Objection against the merger between Altia and Arcus* The Norwegian Competition Authority is considering intervening against the merger between Altia Plc. and Arcus ASA. The Authority’s preliminary view is that the merger may weaken competition in several markets for the sale of spirits to (...)
51
Monitoring of the Norwegian aviation market expanded* The Norwegian Competition Authority continues its monitoring of competition in the Norwegian aviation market. In addition, it is expanding its monitoring to include the operations of Wizz Air. This is in line with the wishes of the (...)
108
Anticompetitive practices may have led to higher grocery prices* The Norwegian Competition Authority warns in a Statement of Objections that it is considering imposing fines totaling 21 billion NOK on Norgesgruppen, Coop and Rema 1000. The Authority’s preliminary assessment is that the three (...)
123
Fines exceeding 1 billion NOK in total imposed on Verisure and Sector Alarm* The Norwegian Competition Authority has today imposed a fine of 766 million NOK on Verisure AS and last year a fine of 467.3 million NOK on Sector Alarm for collusion in the market for the provision of alarm (...)
76
Inspections in the market for sea freight* The Norwegian Competition Authority has carried out unannounced inspections in the market for sea freight. – The Competition Authority has concerns that companies in the market for sea freight may have exchanged competitively sensitive information (...)
94
Schibsted must sell Nettbil* The Norwegian Competition Authority has decided to intervene against Schibsted’s acquisition of Nettbil. The Authority is of the view that the acquisition will weaken competition in the market for online sales of used cars and will result in poorer services for (...)
87
Closes investigation against Circle K and YX* The Norwegian Competition Authority has today closed an investigation against Circle K Norge AS and YX Norge AS. The two companies have agreed to end their practice of publishing recommended list prices for retail fuel on their websites. Autumn (...)
72
New survey of purchase prices confirms significant differences* The Norwegian Competition Authority has examined the differences in purchase prices that Norwegian grocery chains faced in 2018 and 2019. The results confirm last years’ findings, based on data from 2017, that there are large (...)
336
Nordic Competition Authorities release joint memorandum on digital platforms and the future of European policy* As a contribution to the debate on competition enforcement in the digital era and future rules for digital platforms, the Nordic competition authorities are today publishing a (...)
148
Considers imposing fines on five companies in the book market totalling NOK 502 million* The Norwegian Competition Authority warns in a statement of objections that it considers imposing fines of NOK 502 million in total on the four publishers Cappelen Damm, Forlagshuset Vigmostad & (...)
110
Court of Appeal upholds decision against publishing companies* Borgarting Court of Appeal agrees with the Norwegian Competition Authority that the publishing companies Cappelen Damm and Gyldendal cooperated illegally and boycotted the distributor Interpress. The publishers exchanged (...)
82
Norgesgruppen is fined 20 million for not disclosing acquisition of grocery store premises* The Norwegian Competition Authority has today imposed a fine of 20 million NOK on Norgesgruppen for the infringement of disclosure requirements related to an acquisition of grocery store premises. (...)
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Transportation sector is granted temporary exception from the Competition Act* Following the corona epidemic, the Norwegian government has as of today granted the transportation sector a three months temporary exception from the prohibition against anticompetitive agreements and practices in (...)
