Speech by Minister for Foreign Trade and Development Ville Tavio at AmCham Finland's Transatlantic opportunity event in Tampere

Speech by Minister for Foreign Trade and Development Ville Tavio at AmCham Finland's Transatlantic opportunity event in Tampere

Speech by Minister for Foreign Trade and Development Ville Tavio at AmCham Finland's Transatlantic opportunity event in Tampere on 15 April 2026.

Thank you to AmCham Finland for convening this flagship Transatlantic Opportunity event, and to Business Tampere for partnering to make it happen. Alexandra Pasternak-Jackson has already set an excellent tone for today's discussion with insightful highlights from the Transatlantic Economy Report.

Mr. Ambassador, thank you as well for your remarks and for the important work you and your team are doing to deepen the United States-Finland relationship. It has been a pleasure to see the progress achieved during your time in Finland. I look forward to continuing our cooperation in the period ahead.

Dear friends,

We are meeting at a time when the headlines can feel relentless. There are shifting tariff policies, elevated geopolitical tensions, and volatility in global supply chains. Many companies have had to plan for multiple scenarios at once. They have had to make difficult choices to manage risk and protect growth.

And yet, there is a crucial point that should anchor our discussion: the foundations of the transatlantic economic relationship remain in place. The Finland-U.S. Economic Deep Dive Report shows that the commercial ties between our economies are deep, diverse, and resilient. The report offers fresh data on trade and investment, helping us separate signal from noise.

So, what do the data and business experience tell us about where we stand today-between Finland and the United States, and across the transatlantic relationship?

Finland's relationship with the United States is strong and strategic. While security and defence cooperation provide an important basis for the partnership, the economic dimension has grown steadily and deserves particular attention today. The United States is Finland's largest trading partner outside the European Union, and an important partner in investment, innovation, and research.

For Finnish companies, the United States market offers a combination of scale, diversity, and speed that is difficult to match elsewhere. It provides access to dynamic innovation environments and financial resources. It offers a customer base with strong demand for advanced and often highly specialized technologies. This is exactly what we have to offer. At the same time, operating in the United States requires companies to be clear about their value proposition, ready to scale, and able to compete in dynamic market conditions.

For American companies, Finland represents a stable and technologically advanced base in Europe. It offers a predictable business environment and a highly skilled workforce. Strong digital and industrial capabilities make Finland a reliable place to invest and a practical partner for developing solutions that can be scaled across European markets.

The opportunities in our relationship are expanding and becoming more future-oriented. Finland's strengths cut across several industries.

Connectivity, artificial intelligence, quantum technologies, space, defence, nuclear energy, critical minerals, shipbuilding. These are not separate silos. They all connect to the next generation of resilient, productive and secure industrial systems.

Let me briefly highlight a few areas where this theme becomes concrete.

Advanced connectivity provides a solid foundation for industrial renewal. 5G is already in use, and work on 6G is progressing. Reliable connectivity is essential for modern production and secure operations.

Quantum technologies will play a growing role in future communications, computing, and sensing. Progress in this area depends on close cooperation, particularly in research and early commercialization. Artificial intelligence is part of the same development path. Together, these technologies create long-term opportunities for investment and high-value exports.

The maritime industry is another important area. Digital solutions and clean technologies are reshaping shipping and shipbuilding, with clear export and investment potential. One great example of this is our deepening icebreaker cooperation with the U.S. The cooperation benefits both countries and brings new jobs, growth and innovation.

Energy cooperation also plays a key role. Energy security and affordability must be addressed together. This increases demand for resilient industrial solutions.

Critical minerals have become more important as well. Competition for these resources has increased, as they are needed across many industries. Building reliable and responsible supply chains is essential.

Finland has relevant strengths in all these areas, supported by strong companies, technical know-how, and a pragmatic approach to cooperation.

Now, a practical observation: strong trade and investment relationships are built not only through national frameworks, but also through networks. They are built very much between companies, clusters, and regions.

This is why state-level and regional cooperation has become an important part of Finland's engagement with the United States. Close ties at this level make cooperation more fruitful and more targeted. They help companies connect directly with relevant partners and markets.

Finland currently maintains partnerships with six states: Colorado, Maine, Michigan, Minnesota, Texas, and Washington State. In addition, Finland has signed a Letter of Intent on the twin transition with the City of Los Angeles. These arrangements reflect shared interests in areas such as technology, bioeconomy and energy. Most importantly, they link Finnish expertise with regional ecosystems in the United States. This creates concrete opportunities for business cooperation, innovation, and investment. It also helps translate national priorities into practical action on the ground.

The opening of Finland's Consulate General in Houston in 2025 has strengthened our engagement in sectors that are central to the future economy. These include space, health technology, and the maritime industry. Houston is a major hub for energy and space activities, and it offers access to fast-growing markets across the United States.

Together with our Consulate Generals in New York and Los Angeles, our Embassy in Washington, D.C., and the wider Team Finland network, Finland has a strong presence across key regions of the United States. This network supports companies at different stages of growth and in different parts of the United States market.

A permanent presence on the ground makes cooperation more effective. It helps companies build contacts, identify opportunities at an earlier stage, and address challenges as they arise. This practical support is increasingly important in a competitive and fast-moving business environment.

All of this is taking place as global competition for talent, investment, and critical materials continues to intensify. In this environment, the key question is not only where companies can sell today, but where they can build long-term partnerships based on trust and transparency.

That brings me to the broader transatlantic frame. The economic relationship between the United States and Europe remains an important source of stability and long-term growth. Close investment and trade ties support jobs on both sides of the Atlantic and help strengthen supply chains and growth.

I think the key takeaway for us here today is quite clear. Long-term success depends less on individual decisions and more on the strength of the relationships that support trade, investment, and innovation over time.

During these challenging times we should make an effort to increase predictability for companies and investors. Trust matters. Continuity matters. These are the factors that make it possible to invest with confidence, to scale operations, and to manage risk in a changing global environment. If these conditions are in place, businesses can focus on growth rather than uncertainty.

And this is where Amcham's role is so important. Organizations such as Amcham demonstrate how transatlantic cooperation works in practice. They bring together businesses and policymakers, help align priorities, enhance trust between different actors, and turn shared goals into concrete action. Amcham's persistent and dedicated work is essential for maintaining momentum and for identifying new opportunities.

This brings me to my closing observation.

In a time of uncertainty, the most effective partnerships are both strategic and practical. They are based on shared interests, supported by real economic ties, and sustained through everyday cooperation.

Against this background, I am confident that Finland and the United States can continue to identify new opportunities. These opportunities make our companies stronger, support quality jobs, and contribute to shared prosperity across the transatlantic community.

Thank you.