Brussels, 22/01/2015 (Agence Europe) - The European Commission wants to avoid any ill feeling regarding the introduction of greater flexibility to the Russian embargo on EU agricultural products. On Thursday 22 January, it called for the introduction of a “European framework for ensuring the resumption of exports of certain products”, according to a statement by Enrico Brivio, the spokesperson for the Commissioner for Health and Food Safety, Vytenis Andriukaitis
The Commission does not want any bilateral agreements but rather, a European framework that is applied in the same way by Russia for all EU member states, explained the spokesperson (see EUROPE 11234).
France has adopted an agreement of principle, which is expected to allow for the resumption of exports of live pigs from France to Russia, over the next few weeks (see EUROPE 11233).
The Commission repeated that it had recently had technical discussions in Berlin between the Commission services and the Russian veterinary services to discuss sanitary and phytosanitary subjects involving pork meat products and potatoes (products subject to the Russian embargo). Enrico Brivio explained, however, that there was not as yet any formal agreement. The Commission had believed that it had detected a certain opening up from the Russians but the Commission has insisted on the need to have European certificates. Brivio indicated that “the Commission is waiting for a response from the Russians and is hoping that the sanitary and phytosanitary barriers will be able to be lifted on these products”. Russia has also requested that certain “high-value products” are added to the list of products that can be exported. In February 2014, Russia imposed an embargo on European pork products (the EU filed a complaint at the WTO). Since August 2014, Russia has imposed a ban on many different European food products (meat, fruit and vegetables, milk). (LC)