February 18, 2009
EU to review Romanian pork exports after mid-year
The European Commission (EC) said it will review the situation of the Romanian pork exports after this mid-year, said Romanian MEP Constantin Dimitriu in a press release on Tuesday (Feb 17).
At present, in Romania transitory measures on animal health and combating classical swine fever are being enforced.The relevant measures are to expire on December 31, 2009.
EC commissioner on health Androulla Vassiliou said that in 2008, an inspection mission from the EC's Food and Veterinary Office was carried out in Romania in order to check whether the meat processing units are adequate and ready to operate in the forward-processing system where fresh swine meat coming from other member states and being processed in Romania.
Vassiliou added that the result of the mission indicated the existence of a number of shortcomings related to the meat traceability.
The commissioner also said a new mission was planned for March 2009 and EC intends to carry out a revision of the situation after mid-2009, so as to be able to take a decision on the future measures, including one on the measures relating the trade in live swine, fresh swine meat and pork products coming from Romania.
Following EC's answer, Dumitriu criticised the former managers of the National Sanitary Veterinary and Food Safety Authority (ANSVSA) and the bodies responsible for solving this situation for not having given priority to meeting the commitments to the EC as fast as possible in order to lift the ban on swine meat exports and exports of pork products.
