Romania will be permitted to export pork to the European market, starting from January 1, 2014.

"During the last days in Brussels, the technical committees approved Romania to resume pork exports to the EU market," Constatin announced. "There used to be a limitation in place because of swine fever, all way back to 2007, and now, six years later, Romania will be ready to export to the European market as from January 1, 2014."

Constatin added that Romania had, in the past, been allowed to export pork from Caras Severin, Timis, Arad and Bihor while the rest of its 37 counties are not authorised to. The latest decision on the country's pork exports means that all counties may resume the deliveries of the meat beyond Romania's borders.

The last swine fever breakouts in the country were reported in 2007 and occurred in the western Timis County where farms, owned and operated by US company, Smithfield, were affected. Over 50,000 hogs were culled as a result while road checks had been established to control the transportation of pork.

In the same year, as part of efforts to combat the classical swine fever (CSF) threat, Romania implemented a new strategy which consists of emergency vaccination programmes for all categories of pigs, both domestic and wild, on a nation-wide scale. The action was supported by control measures tailored in accordance to EU legislation.

In February 2013, Romania made a self-declaration of being CSF-free to the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE).