December 18, 2006

Russia delays issuing permits on EU livestock products

Russia would indefinitely postpone issuing import permits for livestock products from the European Union in 2007 due to ongoing disagreements, Sergei Dankvert, the head of Russia's service for veterinary and phytosanitary control, said Friday, according to news agency Prime-Tass.

Russia gave warning a month ago about possible restrictions on imports from the EU, saying that meat from Bulgaria and Romania could appear in Russia. Imports of livestock products from both countries, which would become EU members at the start of 2007, have been banned by Russia.

"We have proposed to the EU that we sign bilateral deals with every country to prevent the halt of imports (from Bulgaria and Romania). Everything depends now on our talks with the EU," Dankvert said.

Russia has sent letters to eight EU members on concluding bilateral deals, but representatives of Germany and Ireland said earlier Friday that Russia's offer was unacceptable, and that Russia should reach an agreement with the EU

Russia is a big importer of meat with large volumes of pork and beef coming from the EU