In recent years, foreign enterprises have participated in tenders for public procurement in Finland with increasing success. The new Public Procurement Act, scheduled to enter into force in summer 2007, will further improve the possibilities for participation in public tenders across borders. However, in order for a foreign enterprise to succeed in Finnish award procedures, the tender must be carefully prepared with the special features of the Finnish market firmly in mind.

Public contracts are a significant economic factor in Finland. The procedure for the award of such contracts is regulated in detail in the law. Naturally, errors sometimes occur in public bidding procedures. An enterprise suffering a disadvantage from such error does not need to accept the results. Protection against defective contract award decisions plays an increasingly important role in Finnish legal practice.