industry
H&K Loses Battle Over Nordic Arms Agreement
Finland's Supreme Administrative Court has rejected Heckler & Koch's appeal against the Finnish and Swedish procurement of firearms from Sako Oy, citing an EU exemption for national security. Thus, the agreement can proceed.
The Supreme Administrative Court of Finland has rejected the appeal from the German arms manufacturer Heckler & Koch, thereby upholding the Finnish state's position in the procurement of new firearms from Sako Oy. The court refers to an exception in EU law that allows procurement rules to be bypassed when necessary to protect essential security interests.
It was on 27 March 2023 that the contract was announced. The Finnish Defence Forces' Logistics Command had, together with the Swedish Defence Materiel Administration (FMV) and Sako Oy, negotiated a framework agreement for a joint procurement of firearms. The agreement includes automatic rifles in calibres 5.56x45 and 7.62x51, as well as sniper rifles in 7.62x51 and precision rifles in 8.6 Lapua Magnum, which NDS reported on.
Heckler & Koch appealed the procurement, arguing that it, conducted in cooperation with Sweden, circumvented public procurement regulations. According to the company, the contract should have been put out to competitive tender, and they believed they were effectively excluded when the decision was made to proceed directly with Sako. Therefore, the company pursued the matter legally with the aim of having the procurement declared invalid.
The issue has been examined in Sweden. The Administrative Court in Stockholm ruled in favour of the Swedish Defence Materiel Administration (FMV), stating that the procurement was necessary to protect Sweden's essential security interests. This was reported by NDS a year ago.
Now, the Supreme Administrative Court of Finland has also rejected Heckler & Koch's appeal. The claim was already dismissed in 2024 by Finland's Market Court, which was subsequently appealed to the Supreme Administrative Court. They upheld the Market Court's decision, asserting that the procurement is legal and that the exception for national security is applicable. Thus, Heckler & Koch's appeal is dismissed, and the procurement can proceed. The German company is also ordered to pay the legal costs incurred in the case.
In November 2024, the Swedish Defence Materiel Administration (FMV) ordered an additional 22,500 units of the AK 24 automatic rifle from Sako, with deliveries planned to continue until 2026.
FAQ
- Hur påverkade Finlands högsta förvaltningsdomstols beslut Heckler & Kochs överklagande?
- Finlands högsta förvaltningsdomstol avslog Heckler & Kochs överklagande. Domstolen stödde den finska statens upphandling av eldhandvapen från Sako Oy. Beslutet baserades på ett EU-rättsligt undantag för att skydda säkerhetsintressen. Senast faktagranskad: 2026-03-23.
- Vad omfattar det nordiska vapenavtalet mellan Finland och Sako Oy?
- Det nordiska vapenavtalet omfattar automatkarbiner och skarpskyttegevär i olika kalibrar. Avtalet är ett resultat av förhandlingar mellan Finska Försvarsmakten, FMV och Sako Oy. Det offentliggjordes den 27 mars 2023. Senast faktagranskad: 2026-03-23.
- Varför ansåg domstolen att undantaget för nationell säkerhet var tillämpligt?
- Domstolen ansåg att undantaget för nationell säkerhet var tillämpligt för att skydda väsentliga intressen. Detta motiverade att upphandlingsregler kunde frångås. Liknande bedömning gjordes tidigare av en svensk förvaltningsdomstol. Senast faktagranskad: 2026-03-23.