May 17, 2007

Russia not ready to lift Polish meat embargo

Russia is not ready to completely lift its embargo on the import of meat from Poland, Sergey Yastrzhembsky, special envoy to the European Union, told a press briefing in Moscow Wednesday (May 16).

Yastrzhembsky said Russia had partially lifted the ban, allowing the import of Polish stud cattle.

"It has been expected that we lift the import ban completely, and we are not ready for it as yet," he said. "Our concerns are not being taken seriously, whereas it is not only Russia which reports problems on the Polish market."

Yastrzhembsky said the European Logistics and Customs Services Association, which unites over 20,000 companies and accounts for 95 percent of all European cargo transportation, had inspected Polish ports and storage facilities, finding that 20 percent of meat products destined for Russia were not produced in Poland.

He added the association had also said low-quality meat had been imported to Poland for supply to Russia.

"Brokers in Poland are at this time falsifying documentation accompanying this meat to disguise it as Polish-made," Yastrzhembsky said. "We are ready for further dialogue with the European Union, but only after this kind of product has been completely taken under control."

Russia imposed a ban on the import of meat from Poland in 2005, a move that pushed Warsaw to veto talks aimed at forging closer energy and trade ties between Russia and the EU.