March 5, 2007

EU yet to receive letter from Russia on threat of meat ban

The European Commission Friday (Mar 2) said Russia had not yet informed it of a threat to suspend European meat imports at the end of the month.

"We have not received any official letter from the Russian authorities so we have to follow it up with them. We understand that a fax is on its way," Commission spokesman Philip Tod said.

"As soon as we have received and read that fax, we will prepare a reply to the Russian authorities," he said, adding it was unfortunate Russia had decided to communicate through the media.

Earlier Friday Russia's agriculture oversight agency threatened to suspend EU meat imports unless plans are provided for monitoring their safety by Mar 31. The agency, Rosselkhoznadzor, released a statement listing several cases of what it said were exports of substandard meat and fish from EU countries to Russia last year.

Russia has barred meat imports from Poland since late 2005, citing health concerns. The ban led Warsaw to veto the start of talks on a new EU-Russia partnership agreement that could address some of Europe's concerns about oil and gas supplies from Russia.

EU Health Commissioner Markos Kyprianou has described the ban on Polish meat imports as unjustified, and has urged Russia to lift it. EU veterinarians will travel to Russia soon in an effort to end that country's ban on Polish meat imports, the European Commission said Thursday.

The Russian authorities sent an invitation Monday, EU commission spokesman Tod said, which has been accepted.