Update - Russia and TB

Defra, UK - Animal health and welfare - International trade - CIN - AE/APE 2004/113

Exports Strategy Branch: Customer information note - AE/APE 2004/113

To: Interested organisations and Divisional Veterinary Managers

6 September 2004

Dear Sir/Madam

TRADE BETWEEN THE EU AND THE RUSSIAN FEDERATION]

Purpose of CIN

1. This Customer Information Note is to update you on the latest developments concerning the negotiations between the EU and the Russian veterinary authority. The meetings have been held to negotiate EU-wide export health certificates with the Russian Federation.

Background

2. The background to this issue is set out in CIN number APE/04/54 & subsequent CINs see: this link

3. An agreement between the EU and the Russia Federation was signed in Moscow on 2 September. The agreement (or "memorandum" as it is called) covers veterinary certification of animals and animal products to be exported from the EU to Russia.

4. Russia's position is that it no longer wishes to allow imports of animals and animal products from individual EU Member States using bilaterally agreed export health certificates and will discuss new certification only with the EU Commission. Russia extended its deadline to 30 September 2004 beyond which it stated that it would not accept bilateral certification. Exports from EU Member States would therefore stop if Russia and the EU could not agree certification by then.

5. Further meetings of EU veterinary technical experts were held in August and the result is a set of model export health certificates (14 in all)that are to be used by all Member States.

6. The 14 certificates cover:

deboned beef
day-old chicks, turkey, poults, ducklings, goslings and
hatching eggs of these species
feed and feed additives of animal
origin
live fish, sea-products and products of their processing subject
to heat treatment
fodder fishmeal
finished food products containing
raw material of animal origin
breeding, usage and sport horses
temporary admission of sport horses
breeding and production
swine
tinned meat, salamis and other ready for consumption meat
products
milk and milk products derived from bovine, ovine or caprine
animals
pork
poultry meat
slaughter swine

7. In order to give Member States time to adjust the EU has negotiated a transitional period of until 1 January 2005. During this period the current bilaterally agreed veterinary certificates for exports of live animals and animal products from Member States to Russia may continue to be used. Existing bilaterally agreed certificates will continue to be used for animal and animal products not included among the 14 model certificates.

8. Also this transitional period provides an opportunity for Member States to discuss some technical issues relating to the model certificates.

Further Enquiries

9. If you have any further enquiries concerning this Customer Information Note, please contact Exports Strategy Branch on 020 7904 6404 or fax 020 7904 6428.


Website link: click here