Brussels, 21/02/2014 (Agence Europe) - On Friday 21 February, Russia refused to comment on the timetable for resuming its imports of EU pork - which were banned a month ago due to swine fever - but it agreed to a joint experts mission to examine the issue. Russia began to block pork-based products on 29 January, after confirmation on 24 January of two cases of African swine fever in Lithuanian boar. The European Commission considers the measure to be disproportionate and out of line with WTO rules. Negotiations took place in Moscow on Friday between the head of Russia's veterinary department, Sergei Dankvert, and the European Commission's director for health, Paola Testori Coggi. Dankvert and Coggi have said that joint expert missions will be mandated in both Russia and the EU. (LC/transl.fl)