Finland’s government is considering vehicle-specific transit fees for Russia-bound lorries using its roads, as a means to fund wood tariff refunds.
Minister for foreign trade and development Paavo Väyrynen said the current tariff situation was “becoming totally unbearable”, and that failure to implement a system for the sorting of birch had meant Finnish firms had had to pay export tariffs on almost all wood imported from Russia.
However, he said plans had been discussed for a state-funded refund scheme that would repay the Finnish industry’s export tariffs exceeding the level set in an agreement between Russia and the EU in 2004.
This, he added, could be funded through a transit fee imposed on vehicles heading for Russia via Finalnd’s roads.
“An arrangement of this type would be justified…because transit transport poses considerable expenses for the state and municipalities, and at present these expenses are not covered at all,” said Mr Väyrynen.
“A system of tariff refunds and transit fees could come into force next autumn. If the increases in wood tariffs are implemented at the beginning of next year, the transit fees could be raised.”
Russia wants to increase export duties from the current price of €15/m³ to €50/m³ from the start of 2009.
