March 30, 2007

 

Russia decides not to ban meat from EU
 

 

Russia has declared on March 29 it has withdrawn its threat to ban meat imports from the European Union from April 1, adding it wants a compromise with Brussels on food safety. 

 

In a potential breakthrough after months of trade standoff, the European Commission health chief will meet his Russian counterpart next month to try to resolve rows over meat imports that have foiled to boost ties between the 27-nation bloc and its biggest energy supplier.

 

Lifting a 16-month-old Russian ban on Polish meat imports will be the focus of talks between EU Health Commissioner Markos Kyprianou and Russian Agriculture Minister Alexei Gordeyev in mid-April.

 

The lifting of the ban could pave the way for more negotiations to commence a new strategic partnership agreement covering energy, economic cooperation and human rights, which Warsaw vetoed last November in protest at the Russian boycott.

 

German Chancellor Angela Merkel, who has given high priority to relations with Moscow under Berlin's six-month EU presidency, will attend an EU-Russia summit with President Vladimir Putin and top EU officials in Samara, Russia, on May 18.

 

The reciprocal moves follow a visit by EU Trade Commissioner Peter Mandelson to Moscow this week to discuss removing remaining obstacles to Russia's accession to the World Trade Organisation (WTO), which included the meat dispute.

 

Russian food safety watchdog Rosselkhoznadzor spokesman Alexei Alexeyenko said it will compromise with the EU on the issue of banning meat from more EU countries.

 

However, Alexeyenko said Russia will still ensure the safety of imports as well as the safety of EU food safety guarantees.

 

The agency has asked Brussels to present by March 31 plans from all EU members to monitor dangerous and banned substances in animal products. It also requested data from last year.

 

Rosselkhoznadzor's head, Sergei Dankvert, had said earlier this month his agency would be forced to suspend shipments of animal products from those countries that did not supply data.

 

Alexeyenko did not rule out the possibility of a ban being introduced at a later date should EU countries fail to comply.

 

Russia recently recalled animal health inspectors from 12 EU countries after the bloc guaranteed the safety of food exports.

 

Dankvert has said that Moscow intends to toughen controls over imported food at its own borders and could impose wider bans on countries with outbreaks of animal diseases.