Russia - EU trade

A Press Release from Europa re Russia - EU trade relations:

A major loss of trade in animal products to Russia has been avoided by the introduction of uniform veterinary trade certificates, allowing EU exports of live animals and animal products to continue from October 1st 2004 without disruption.

The new certificates will be applicable from October 1st, whilst existing ones will phase out until the end of the year.

Particular attention has been paid to certifying products originating in one Member state and processed in another. The certificates will be reviewed annually, taking into account the development of animal disease situation in the EU.

In addition Russia has accepted the principle of 'regionalisation' so that an animal disease outbreak in a part of a Member State will not block exports from the whole of that country, nor from the rest of the EU. Trade 'blockages' can be limited to the affected regions within the EU. This acceptance is on the basis that the EU has also agreed to set up a system involving a chain of official pre-export certification for products which pass through more than one Member State.

There will be winners, where markets have been opened or certification requirements have been made less onerous. There will also be cases where national authorities have to institute systems to meet the access requirements of the Russian market.

Ends.

The editors are unsure as to how this will impact on UK trade.
Russia originally blocked EU trade on the back of our Tb status.
The EU has protected Community trade by negotiating a 'regionalisation' of the problem.
Major UK dairy exporters appear unaware of any of these agreements and negotiations.