April 3, 2007

Russia, Poland may resume meat trade
 

The ban on meat exports from Poland to Russia could soon restart as the European Commission provided Russian authorities on their recent veterinary and phytosanitary inspections on Polish meat plants.

The Commission said they are convinced it has addressed all questions raised by Russia which could continue meat trade between the two countries.

The European Commission has now received the 2007 residue monitoring plans from all 27 EU Member States and 2006 monitoring results in draft form in response to Russia's request for veterinary information on EU's meat industry.

European states and third countries exporting to the EU are required to provide these plans to the Commission every year by 31 March. The draft plans, when finalized, are approved by the Commission.

European Consumer Safety Commissioner Marcus Kyprianou is expected to meet with Russian Agriculture Minister Alexei Gordeyev in mid-April in order to discuss how EU-Russian Sanitary and Phyto-Sanitary (SPS) relations can proceed in a way which is satisfactory for all involved.