November 28, 2007

Russia may open doors to Polish meat

Representatives of Poland, Russia and the European Commission will meet next month to discuss ways of Russia's possible removal of ban of Polish meat.

According to Poland's agriculture minister Marek Sawicki, the development came after Russian President Vladimir Putin stated that he had noticed progress in Poland's approach to the meat affair.

Sawicki's was in Brussels Monday (November 26) to initiate the talks the European Commission (EC) and agricultural ministers of the region's 27 member states.

EU Agriculture Commissioner Mariann Fischer-Boel has earlier announced the EC will subsidise pork exports beyond the EU. The decision was welcomed by the Polish farmers, who had lobbied for the aid alongside their French and Irish counterparts. The subsidy, they said, will help the competitiveness edge of EU pork in the global market.