In Finland, the Limited Company (osakeyhtiö, “Oy”) is the only economically relevant form of company. There is no separate smaller form of company such as the German GmbH or the French Sarl. The Oy is the form of choice for big quoted enterprises as well as for small and medium-sized undertakings.

Therefore, the Oy is also typically the form of choice for foreign enterprises entering the Finnish market. This booklet is intended to give you a first insight into the structure of the Finnish limited company and into the process of its establishment.