On Friday, a ministerial committee led by Finance Minister Annika Saarikko (Cen) decided on measures to safeguard operations in the transport and logistics sector. The Ministerial Working Group on Preparedness was set up in early March to deal with the impacts of Russia’s attack on Ukraine.
The Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment is preparing a temporary subsidy package of up to 75 million euros for transport companies.
The financial support will cover the period from January to March this year, with details to be announced later.
In addition, the government is preparing a 20-million-euro support package to promote a green transition in the logistics sector. The money is to support the purchase of electric and gas-powered trucks and vans and the development of public distribution infrastructure for transport electricity and fossil gas.
State-owned financing company Finnvera will also aid companies in the sector through loans and financial guarantees.
SKAL, an advocacy group for Finland's transport and logistics sector, has commended the government for recognising the current challenges faced by the industry. However, the association says that the package proposed by the ministry is insufficient and the current schedule is too slow.
The group has also criticised the government's decision to uphold the "distribution obligation," which requires fuel vendors to meet a set quota of biofuels that must be increased every year.
Lowering the distribution obligation would help reduce the price of diesel, but could result in biofuel produced in Finland being replaced by cheaper fossil fuels, which are still primarily imported from Russia.
The Federation of Finnish Enterprises (Suomen Yrittäjät) has also said the measures are inadequate.
The association stated that it expected the government to fast-track the launch of its occupational diesel tax system, which could involve retroactively refunding professional transport services for tax they paid for diesel.