May 30, 2007

Russia temporarily restricts meat imports from Europe

Russia's food safety agency said Tuesday (May 29) that it had imposed temporary prohibitions on meat imports coming from some European Union producers over health risk concerns.

Rosselkhoznadzor said the total 79 metric tonnes of poultry shipments from Belgium and Germany, and 140 metric tonnes of meat were from the European Union had been tainted with salmonella and will be returned to those countries. 

The agency further said the absence of the appropriate import permits and veterinary certificates for products to Russia, and breaches in Rosselkhoznadzor's temporary restrictions on supplies from certain producers over safety risks were the main violations.

The move came as tensions between Poland and Russia over the latter's ban on Polish meat and other agricultural imports have hampered the start of talks on a strategic cooperation treaty between Russia and the EU. Poland, which calls the ban politically motivated, has vetoed the talks.

But Russia says it is primarily concerned about imports of poor quality meat via Poland from third countries, and suggested opening its market to some Polish producers.