On 18 September 2014, HPP organized a seminar on dispute resolution directed to waste management companies. In their presentations HPP’s experts concentrated on subjects concerning the waste management business, i.a. public procurement and dispute resolution. Interest towards a seminar focusing on waste management disputes was substantial and the topics evoked a lot of discussion among the participants and speakers.
Jouni Alanen, Partner at HPP, introduced the new public procurement directives and their national implementation and the competence of courts and supervising authorities in the disputes relating to waste management. In addition, Mr. Alanen described the assignment of waste management tasks to waste facilities and presented recent legal praxis relating to waste management business.
Senior Associate Perttu Koivula reviewed the activities of the Market Court and the processing of appeals in the Market Court, especially concerning public procurement.
Competition law specialist, Senior Associate Maarika Joutsimo described recent legal praxis in Finland and in the EU focusing particularly on waste management and recycling and sorting systems. Ms. Joutsimo also covered the current report and measures of the Finnish Competition and Consumer Authority concerning the waste management business.
Senior Associate Johan Pråhl’s presentation concentrated on waste management disputes in general and especially on disputes regarding avoidance of waste related payments. Mr. Pråhl went through the reasons, consequences and damages relating to the avoidance of waste related payments and the special features of criminal and civil procedures in such cases.
Partner Pekka Puhakka described the disputes in the waste management business in connection with arbitration. In addition, in his presentation Mr. Puhakka concentrated on the differences between arbitration and court proceedings.
The topic of Partner Kari Marttinen’s presentation was the reform of the Environmental Protection Act from the perspective of waste management facilities’ operations. The presentation focused on the changes brought by the new Environmental Protection Act especially for the companies acting in the waste management business.
HPP’s dispute resolution, public procurement and environmental law teams are happy to provide further information on the seminar and the topics discussed.
