Rusland blokkeert vleesimporten uit EU na ruzie over kwaliteitsgaranties (en)
Auteur: | By Marcin Frydrych
The Russian authorities have stopped meat imports from the EU due to a dispute over veterinary certificates.
Russia wants Europe to adopt a single EU-wide system for certifying meat exports instead of the current EU system, where certificates are issued by individual member states.
From 1 June, the Russian side says it will not recognise old veterinary certificates and will prevent EU meat from entering Russian territory.
EU diplomats have played down the problem suggesting this is a "technical issue", not a trade dispute.
"We're surprised. We're insisting that the deadline for the certificates be extended beyond June 1", European Commission spokesman Gregor Kreuzhuber told media yesterday (2 June).
Total meat exports to Russia from the European Union amount to some 800 million tonnes.
Russia imported €540m in meat products from the EU in 2003. The number is lower than the previous year's total of €823m, but is set to grow in 2004 following the EU's expansion in May to 25 member states.
The biggest exporters of beef are Ireland and Germany, while Denmark and Spain provide most of Europe's pork to the Russian market.