December 18, 2006

Russia may ban EU meat imports and import from Latin America
 

Russia is likely to increase meat imports from Latin America, Australia and New Zealand in 2007 if the dispute with the European Union over health safety is not resolved by bilateral talks with individual EU members, the Russian federal service for veterinary and phytosanitary control Rosslekhoznadzor said in a statement in Moscow Monday.

Rosselkoznadzor is concerned that meat from Bulgaria and Romania, which are joining the EU at the beginning of 2007, will find its way into Russia via third EU countries.

The import of livestock products from both countries is currently banned in Russia because of health safety concerns.

Russia has proposed that talks are held with individual EU members to reach an agreement on safety guarantees, but the EU has declined the proposed procedure, saying an agreement must be reached with the EU as a whole.

After talks between Russian and EU officials failed to find a solution, Rosselkhoznadzor said Friday it would postpone indefinitely issuing import permits for livestock products from EU members and would consider replacing meat imports from the EU by increased imports from Latin America, Australia and New Zealand.

The EU is a major supplier to Russia, with 40 percent of all Russian pork import, 14 percent of beef import and 12 percent of poultry import coming from EU states.