Image: Yle

European Union officials met Thursday to discuss possible compensation for food producers and businesses arising from Russian counter-sanctions.

Financial losses can be claimed from crisis funds, which are distributed among EU members to the tune of some 400 million euros annually.

Agriculture and Forestry Minister Petteri Orpo said that Finland’s share of relief money could amount to tens of millions of euros, given that the country is either the second- or sixth-hardest hit EU country, depending on how the impact is calculated.

The worst effects of the sanctions would be seen in Finland if one only considers Russia’s import ban on dairy products. On this basis, Finland would be second-hardest hit in the EU, according to Orpo.

Lithuania to suffer the most

Little Lithuania, which would suffer most from the countermeasures, has already said it is seeking tens of millions of euros in compensation from the EU. Other countries are also preparing their claims, Orpo said.

“So we see that if there is money to be had somewhere, then everyone thinks they are equally entitled to some,” Orpo told Parliament’s Agriculture and Forestry Committee Thursday.

“We must stand up firmly on behalf of our Finnish producers. The statistics about our exports and how this is affecting different countries are undeniable. Our evaluations must be larger than our usual division percentages,” Orpo added.

The minister acknowledged that public coffers cannot completely cover the losses suffered by producers and the food industry.

“We can offer some relief and try to find new markets for products so that we can move forward,” Orpo concluded.