Jun 26, 2008. /Lesprom.com/. The Finnish state may tax trucks carrying goods through the country to Russia to help papermakers pay new Russian wood tariffs, Minister for Foreign Trade and Development Paavo Vaeyrynen said. The government could start charging truckers and subsidizing papermakers as soon as this fall, Vaeyrynen said at a press conference. One third of all Russian imports by value enter the country through Finland, according to Russian trade representatives in Helsinki. Russia plans to raise duties on raw log exports to Euro50 ($79) per cubic meter next year, doubling the total cost of wood from the country. A Finnish proposal to exempt birch pulpwood from the tariffs was rejected by Russia, Vaeyrynen said, citing a telephone conversation with Russian Economy Minister Elvira Nabiullina. The European Union is discussing the duties with Russian trade officials in Siberia this week as part of talks on Russia's application to join the World Trade Organization. "The situation has become completely unbearable for Finnish industry,'' Vaeyrynen said in a statement. "A permanent solution to the wood duties must be found through the WTO negotiations.'' Vaeyrynen said the government could refund papermakers for tariffs exceeding the level agreed by the European Union and Russia in 2004.