Russia may suspend livestock imports from EU because of new virus
MOSCOW. Jan 31 (Interfax) - Russia could suspend livestock imports from most of the EU countries because of an outbreak of the so-called Schmallenberg virus, Sergei Dankvert, the chief of the Russian veterinary and phytosanitary oversight body, Rosselkhoznadzor, told Interfax.
While a ban on imports of sheep and goats from Germany, Belgium and the Netherlands is already in place now, "these restrictions could be expanded in the near future to most of the European Union countries unless enough materials are presented regarding the way the disease spread is being monitored and the situation examined on the EU territory."
Imports of cattle, sheep and goats from France and the United Kingdom could also be suspended in the near future, Dankvert said. Cattle imports from Belgium, Germany and the Netherlands will also be banned, he said.
Rosselkhoznadzor has serious concerns about the Schmallenberg virus spreading in Europe, Dankvert said. "We are not satisfied with the work of veterinary services in European countries, which are hushing up the situation and are not taking enough measures to prevent the disease," he said. "The wait-and-see tactic they are pursuing can make other countries suffer from the disease," he said.
"Economic interests related to the transport of goods are rated higher than the veterinary problems arising because of the new virus," Dankvert said.
He pointed out that European countries have recently seen some complications because of outbreaks of diseases among animals, i.e. the dioxin contamination, an outbreak of e-coli, and a spread of bluetongue disease.
Dankvert said he had the impression that some EU countries had not even carried out Schmallenberg virus tests, and "therefore the true scope of its spread is not known yet."
Rosselkhoznadzor's leadership on Monday had negotiations with a European Commission Health and Consumers Directorate-General delegation led by Paul Van Geldorp, at which the Russian body suggested that Russian virologists could help in jointly researching the new virus's biology and creating a system to efficiently diagnose and counter it.
Rosselkhoznadzor considers justified and essential the suspension of imports of live cattle, sheep and goats as well as their genetic materials, i.e. sperm and embryos, from the European countries affected by the disease.
Schmallenberg virus was identified in 2011 and was named after a German town where it was first discovered.