December 21, 2006

EU welcomes meat export deal with Russia

European Union officials on Wednesday, Dec 20 heaved a sigh of relief after Russia agreed not to ban imports of animal products from the soon-to-be 27-nation bloc as of Jan 1, 2007.

The bloc's health and consumer affairs chief Markos Kyprianou had reached an "agreement in principle" with Russian agriculture minister Alexei Gordeyev in this regard, informed a spokesman for the EC, the EU's executive arm.

Moscow had earlier warned that it would ban imports of meat from the EU as a whole as they were worried about food safety standards of products from Romania and Bulgaria. The two countries are slated to join the EU in January.

Russia had also said that only items from EU countries, which signed bilateral food safety deals with Moscow, would be allowed in. The EU, however, termed the move unacceptable and said any such agreement could only be signed with the commission, representing all EU states.

The verbal EU-Russia agreement on meat exports still needs to be finalised, with officials on both sides seeking to sign an MoU on the issue by Jan 18 at the latest, said commission spokesman Philip Tod.

He said the EC officials were happy that a full-blown trade war over the issue had been averted because the EU and Russia shared common concerns and had the same target, which was to reduce risks but at the same time maintain trade.

Incidentally, the restrictions imposed by the EU on the sale of Romanian and Bulgarian animal products would continue even after the two countries join the body.

Also, Russia would continue to ban imports of Polish meat and grain products, also imposed because of alleged safety concerns. The EU though, believes the improved climate in relations with Russia on food safety standards would allow for progress on the Polish ban.