February 12, 2008

Russia to inspect EU's meat exporting companies
 

Russia will be inspecting and certifying all companies in the production and delivery chains for fresh meat.

According to Russian authorities, it is impossible to export to Russia without an inspection. The measure will apply to all EU states and certification does not apply to primary producers.

Russia has recently announced an increase of meat imports from the US, and more inspectors have been sent to Brazil to perform additional checks on export slaughterhouses.

In the Netherlands, Dutch newspaper Agrarisch Dagblad reports that companies wishing to obtain an export permit to Russia would have to register at the national product board, which will determine the costs and also an inspection programme.