EU support for the Finnish milk sector to deal with the export crisis

– This Commission support to Finland is good news indeed, says Minister of Agriculture and Forestry Petteri Orpo. – It is an important addition to the 22.5 million euros already granted from our national funds to deal with the Russian crisis, most of this targeted to the milk sector.

Minister Orpo points out that this decision, together with similar ones concerning support for the Estonian, Latvian and Lithuanian milk sectors, is historical. Never before has additional support from the Union funds been paid to producers of certain individual Member States only.

In the early autumn the Commission used the regular market mechanisms to support the fruit and vegetable sectors and storage of milk products because of the crisis. These are commonly used Union measures to balance the markets in the event of various kinds of disturbances but, according to Minister Orpo, Finland could not benefit from these means.

– This has been an important matter of principle for Finland. Obviously the support granted to us will not cover all of our losses, but it is still an important gesture from the EU towards the Finnish producers, the Minister says.

Further information at the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry:
State Secretary Tiina Rytilä tel. +358 295 162 254
Head of EU Coordination Kari Valonen tel. +358 295 162 269
Director-General Risto Artjoki tel. +358 295 162 286
forename.surname@mmm.fi