March 3, 2010

Russia to simplify EU livestock import procedures

Russia plans to remove excessive veterinary barriers on the imports of EU meat and livestock to the country, said Russian Agriculture Minister Elena Skrynnik.

According to Skrynnik, all the excessive restrictions will be lifted by January 1, 2011.
 

Currently, the importation of meat products and breeding animals in Russia requires receiving more than 20 EU veterinary certificates, with their further verification and validation by the Russian veterinary authorities.
 

Skrynnik said the Ministry of Agriculture will start to actively combat excessive veterinary controls.

The ministry is also replacing the existing system of meat and agricultural imports by a system of public awareness about the import requirements, which means the acceptance of the European veterinary certificates without additional checks.
 

As a result of the planned measures, the costs paid by suppliers to overcome all the veterinary and administrative barriers in Russia will be reduced by 70%. This will increase exports of breeding cattle and meat from the EU to Russia.