Over 100 Finnish Customs staff on eastern border furloughed as Russian tariff hike threatens remaining trade

More than 100 Finnish Customs employees working along the eastern border with Russia are spending the summer on furlough, with prospects darkening after Moscow’s latest tariff announcement, Yle reports.

Russia last week raised railway tariffs, a move that now threatens to halt the remaining freight traffic between the two countries. Finnish Customs director Mikko Grönberg said the end of trade would reduce workloads at border points such as Vainikkala, the ports of Hamina–Kotka, and Niirala.

Grönberg stated there are no immediate staffing impacts, but the agency is monitoring the situation. He declined to specify how many customs officers are still assigned to eastern border freight, noting that those inspecting cargo also handle other duties.

The remaining cross-border trade consists primarily of Russian fertilizers, which are exempt from EU sanctions. All other traffic was suspended when Finland closed its eastern border in December 2023.

Pekka Naski, deputy shop steward for the Customs Union, said the potential end of freight traffic further dims the outlook for customs staff. In spring, Customs placed over 100 eastern border employees on indefinite furlough due to the border closure, with the largest cuts at the Nuijamaa and Imatra crossings.

Naski warned that prolonged stagnation could lead to permanent layoffs. He added that while jobs remain available in Helsinki and western Finland, relocation is difficult for many eastern border residents, particularly those needing to sell homes in a slow market.

Grönberg noted that the most significant adjustments to customs operations have already occurred following Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine and Finland’s subsequent border closure. After initially reassigning staff nationwide, Customs resorted to large-scale furloughs when reopening the border appeared unlikely.

Naski said the only potential relief would be the reopening of a border station and resumption of traffic—but he does not expect a return to the pre-2022 era of kilometer-long truck queues.