January 20, 2015

EU sees resumption of pork export to Russia

The prospect of resuming the export of pork products from the EU to Russia has emerged following a meeting of the EU Commission services in charge of the veterinary and sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS) issues and their Russian counterparts in Berlin on January 15 during the International Green Week, the European Livestock and Meat Trades Union (UECBV) said.

The UECBV in a media release said, "According to the preliminary information, the outcomes (of the meeting) were very positive and should allow a resumption of the EU export of some products from the pork sector to Russia".

Up to 40% of the pork exports to Russia may be restored, the UECBV said, adding that EU member states "will now start working on the technical specifications for a resumption of the export of some specific products… without prejudice to the Russian embargo implemented last August". The embargo was imposed following the EU sanctions against Russia over the Ukraine crisis.

But even before the embargo, Russia on January 30 last year suspended the certification of live pigs and pork products due to the occurrence of African swine fever in the Baltic States (particularly Lithuania) and Poland. The EU pig farmers and pork industry lost revenue and turnover because of SPS barriers for export to Russia. In 2013, Russia accounted for around 25% of the EU pork sector exports, or 3% of the EU pork production.

The UECBV said the DG Santé (the directorate general dealing with food safety and other regulatory issues) helped in the negotiations for the possible resumption of pork exports and that the achievement "is the result of substantial and long efforts."

It also expressed "hopes that the achievement will open the door to a final agreement on the SPS issues for the pork sector, aiming at restoring sustainable trade."