Äripraktika

Äriprak­tika is the Estonian term for the set of practices and methods a business uses to conduct its commercial activities. The concept covers everyday activities such as pricing, marketing, distribution, procurement, product development, and customer service, as well as internal policies and governance. In a broader sense, äripraktika describes how a company interacts with suppliers, customers, employees, and competitors.

From a competition-law perspective, äripraktika can be either legitimate or illegitimate. Legitimate practices aim to increase efficiency, improve product quality, or benefit consumers, while illegitimate practices harm competition or mislead markets. Common illegal practices include agreements between competitors that restrict competition (cartels), price fixing, market sharing, and bid rigging, as well as abuse of a dominant market position, such as discriminatory pricing, exclusive dealing to foreclose markets, or tying and bundling that unfairly limits choice.

The legal framework for äripraktika in Estonia and the European Union centers on maintaining fair competition. In the EU, competition law prohibits agreements that restrict competition (Article 101 TFEU) and the abuse of a dominant position (Article 102 TFEU). Estonia implements these rules through the Competition Act and the Estonian Competition Authority (Konkurentsiamet). The European Commission also enforces cross-border practices. Enforcement tools include investigations, penalties and fines, cease-and-desist orders, and, in some cases, structural or behavioral remedies to restore competition.

Good business practice in relation to äripraktika emphasizes transparency, compliance programs, non-discrimination, and responsible pricing, aiming to align commercial goals with legal and ethical standards.