Finnish Minister for Development Cooperation and Foreign Trade Ville Tavio (Finns) said the tariff is too high, but reaching an agreement removed uncertainty. Photo: Mikko Stig / Lehtikuva
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A trade agreement between the European Union and the United States, involving 15 percent tariffs on most EU exports to the US, has sparked mixed reactions in Finland. Government officials and business leaders responded with caution and emphasis on the need for long-term clarity.
Ville Tavio, Minister for Development Cooperation and Foreign Trade, said the agreement provides some relief but falls short of expectations.
“It has calmed the situation but there’s absolutely no reason for celebration,” he said.
Tavio said the 15 percent tariff level remains too high, though the agreement removed uncertainty in the short term. He expressed concern about its long-term stability and said more information is needed on how EU countries will respond.
“It may turn out that this agreement is not very sustainable in the long run, but we’ll wait and see,” Tavio said.
He added that the deal’s provision for Europe to replace Russian energy with American imports was a step toward reducing reliance on Russia. The agreement includes a pledge by the EU to purchase 750 billion US dollars (641 billion euros) worth of energy from the US, mainly liquefied natural gas, oil and other fuels.
The agreement also commits EU member states to invest 600 billion US dollars in the US, in addition to existing investments. It includes provisions for large-scale purchases of defence equipment from US firms.
The deal must still be approved by EU member states.
Petteri Orpo, Prime Minister of Finland, described the agreement as necessary to avoid further escalation in trade tensions.
“The agreement brings much-needed predictability to the global economy and Finnish companies,” he said on X, formerly known as Twitter.
Orpo acknowledged the need for more work to remove international trade barriers and increase cooperation.
The United States had previously threatened tariffs of up to 30 percent on EU imports. The current agreement limits those to 15 percent, but still introduces new costs for exporters in the bloc.
Mikael Pentikäinen, CEO of the Federation of Finnish Enterprises, said that while the tariff rate was higher than hoped, the agreement brings a degree of stability.
“Even a thin agreement is better than a fat dispute, which was the alternative,” he told Yle.
Pentikäinen said the terms resemble those of an existing trade agreement between Japan and the US. He said the new deal allows Finnish and other European companies to remain competitive in the American market.
He predicted the agreement would encourage businesses in Finland to increase hiring and investment.
Pentikäinen described the US-EU trade relationship as one of the most significant globally and said the agreement could help stabilise relations during the second term of US President Donald Trump.
“Then, hopefully, we’ll be able to lower those import tariffs,” he said.
The Finnish government continues to monitor reactions from other EU member states as the bloc prepares to finalise approval. Business organisations in Finland have urged the government to remain active in shaping the trade agenda within the EU.
Energy firms in Finland, including LNG operators, are reviewing the terms of the new import commitments. Officials said that future procurement contracts and infrastructure projects will be influenced by the shift from Russian to American energy
Source: www.helsinkitimes.fi
