Russia, Azerbaijan to cooperate in plant protection, quarantine

MOSCOW. Aug 19 (Interfax) - Russia and Azerbaijan will sign an agreement on cooperation in plant protection and quarantine.

A respective resolution of the Russian government dated August 16, 2024, has been published on the official website of legal information.

The Russian Agriculture Ministry drafted the agreement, coordinated it with the Russian Foreign Ministry, and preliminary discussed it with Azerbaijan.

The Federal Service for Veterinary and Phytosanitary Supervision (Rosselkhoznadzor) has been tasked with holding talks with Azerbaijan together with the Russian Foreign Ministry and signing the document on behalf of the Russian government upon reaching agreement.

According to the draft agreement, the sides will plan joint measures to enhance quarantine phytosanitary security and protection of both states from importation and spread of quarantine pests, reduce the losses they cause, and eliminate barriers to international trade in quarantine products.

Every batch of imported or transited quarantine products must have a phytosanitary certificate or a re-export phytosanitary certificate issued by the authorized agency of the exporting state. Such agencies are Russia's Rosselkhoznadzor and the Azerbaijani Food Safety Agency.