Trump threatens with customs, Purra replies: “You can’t just wait quietly”

President of the United States Donald Trump has threatened Finland, Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Great Britain, France, Germany and the Netherlands with ten percent tariffs from the beginning of February. From the beginning of June, the duties would rise to 25 percent.

The reason is the support shown by the countries to Greenland and the sending of a few soldiers to the world’s largest arctic island.

The finance ministers of the EU countries discussed responding to Trump’s blackmail measures in Brussels on Monday and Tuesday. In the EU, it is considered very exceptional that an allied country uses customs threats as an instrument of geopolitical pressure.

“Discussions emphasized holding a strong common line and steadfast support for Denmark and the citizens of Greenland,” said the Minister of Finance Riikka Purra (ps) at the press conference he held in Brussels after the meetings.

“It would certainly be good for all parties if this could be moved forward in a reasonable way as adults act, i.e. by discussing and not threatening allies,” Purra said.

Kauppalehti asked Purra whether the EU should give Trump a hard time, like China successfully did this in the US-China tariff war last springor act more softly, as the EU has done so far.

Purra said that if the threats continue, “it would be a very bad idea to just wait quietly and hope things will resolve themselves”.

“Europe must have the opportunity to use the tools it has if the situation does not progress in the right direction,” he said.

In the EU, preparations are being made to implement the counter-tariffs drawn up last year, which have been frozen for the time being. They concern 93 billion euros worth of US imports. According to the Commission, the retaliatory tariffs will automatically come into effect on February 7, if the member states so decide.

Another key countermeasure is the deployment of the Anti-Pressure Instrument (ACI). It is a broad instrument with which the EU could, among other things, limit the access of American companies to the EU market and participation in public procurement.

The deficit procedure begins

On Tuesday, the Economic and Monetary Affairs Council (Ecofin) approved a decision to start the excessive deficit procedure in Finland.

The Commission published its proposal on Finland’s net expenditure path already in December, and if Finland follows the corrective net expenditure path given by the Commission, then the deficit would have been reduced to an acceptable level in 2028.

Purra said on Tuesday in Brussels that this year’s deviation in the deficit could be justified by the exception caused by defense spending, but according to him, for the time being it is unclear whether additional adjustments are needed in 2027.

“If the commission requires us to take additional measures, we will do them,” Purra said. He did not agree to say what the possible savings measures would be.

According to Purra, the adjustment amount has so far been estimated at 1.4 billion euros.

“It can be like that, or it can be less, or it can be nothing,” Purra said.

According to the Minister of Finance, additional information on the potentially necessary savings will be available in the spring and later, when the commission assesses Finland’s stay on the corrective net spending path.