April 12, 2012

Customs Union to enter agreement with Swiss meat, dairy producers

Russia's Federal Service for Veterinary and Phytosanitary Oversight released a statement Wednesday (Apr 11) that an estimated 700 Swiss meat and dairy suppliers are interested in entering into agreements with the Customs Union of Russia, Belarus, and Kazakhstan.

Swiss Ambassador to Russia Pierre Helg had asked the Russian watchdog to include 700 Swiss enterprises into a list of non-Union members authorised to supply products in the common market.

Helg also said that the meat and dairy producers, along with the Swiss national veterinary service are ready to receive Russian experts for checks of the enterprises. Russian specialists, under an agreement with the Belarusian and Kazakh veterinary oversights, had earlier inspected 15 Swiss producers.

Alexander Ponomaryov, deputy director of the Russian service's department for veterinary oversight, said that the checks had revealed no significant violations.