It depends on Dutch sanitary services whether Russia will resume milk imports - official
MOSCOW. Dec 14 (Interfax) - Russia will lift its restrictions on imports of milk products from the Netherlands if the Dutch veterinary service makes sure such produce meets Russian sanitary standards, a senior Russian sanitary official announced on Saturday.
"Today all aspects of the further development of the situation depend on the way our Dutch counterparts work," Sergei Dankvert, head of the Federal Service for Veterinary and Phytosanitary Control (Rosselkhoznadzor), told Interfax in comments on media articles that expressed fear that Rosselkhoznadzor's partial ban on Dutch milk produce imports would cause Russia's cheese market to shrink.
Today 64 Dutch manufacturing entities have a right to export milk produce to Russia after being permitted in 2009 to do so under guarantees from the Dutch veterinary service, Dankvert said.
However, after inspections by Russian experts last month, Russia will suspend imports from 13 entities with effect from December 19 because of alleged numerous departures from Russian sanitary standards.
"What's going to happen to the rest depends on our Dutch counterparts. We've asked them to update their lists of exporters before December 15 and only leave the entities on them that meet Russian standards," Dankvert said.
He said a Rosselkhoznadzor delegation is due to discuss the matter during planned talks with European Union veterinary officials that start in Brussels on Monday.
The negotiators would discuss what had been done this year and map out plans for 2014.
Imports of meat, fish and potatoes from EU countries are the number one item on the talks agenda, Dankvert said.
He said Russia would only be prepared to import seed potatoes from the EU after Russian inspectors have seen shipments designated for being sent to Russia. "Moreover, we need comprehensive information on where, in what fields, those potatoes were grown," Dankvert said.
Imports of potatoes into Russia from Europe are banned today.
One more matter to be raised at the Brussels talks is a schedule for Russian inspections of EU food industry facilities for next year.
A trip to Spain is planned for February. Rosselkhoznadzor says Spanish sanitary control of products to be exported services has become more effective recently, and so Russia has lifted restrictions on imports of fodder from that country.
