Experts to discuss Russia's meat threat ban
European Union experts will travel to Moscow next week to explain EU food safety rules and standards following Russia’s threats to impose a total meat product ban on EU imports over concerns that products from new members Romania and Bulgaria are unsafe, EU officials said today.
EU spokesman Philip Tod told reporters that experts would be in Moscow on Monday and Tuesday “to explain the measures that the Commission has taken to ensure that no product which could pose any animal health or public health risk can be dispatched to other member states or other third countries,” like Russia.
Moscow had informed the European Commission earlier this month of their intention to impose a ban starting on January 1, a move which soured EU-Russia ties ahead of summit talks in Helsinki, which took place today.
A Russian ban on imports of EU meat, dairy and fish products would affect some £1.1bn (€1.6bn) in annual trade, according to the EU.
