SHARE
COPY LINK

FARMING

Russia bans imports of Swedish meat

Nine Swedish meat processing facilities have had their licences to export to Russia revoked after failing Russian meat inspections carried out last spring.

Russian meat inspectors carried out reviews of several Swedish meat processing plants in May and June of this year.

The inspections have resulted in Russia withdrawing the export licence for one facility permanently, while eight other facilities have been slapped with a temporary ban on shipping their products to Russia.

“The Russian requirements are different from the Swedish and from the EU requirements,” Anna Brådenmark of the Sweden’s National Food Administration (Livsmedelsverket) told the TT news agency.

She said that all nine facilities have been approved by Swedish food inspection authorities.

“Russia views certain things differently,” she said.

Within the EU, audits are carried out to ensure that meat processors have a functioning system for checking food products, while Russia wants tests to be taken for every shipment.

There are also differences between the EU and Russia when it comes to how old animals should be when they are tested for BSE, commonly known as mad cow disease.

“That issue is currently under discussion at the EU level,” said Brådenmark.

According to her, Russia has carried out inspections in several EU member states which has led to several facilities losing their export licences.

When the shortcomings uncovered by the Russian meat inspectors have been remedied at the eight Swedish facilities which have had their licences temporarily withdrawn, they will once again be allowed to ship meat to Russia.

Member comments

Log in here to leave a comment.
Become a Member to leave a comment.

POLITICS

France vows to block EU-South America trade deal in current form

France has vowed to prevent a trade deal between the European Union and the South American Mercosur bloc from being signed with its current terms, as the country is rocked by farmer protests.

France vows to block EU-South America trade deal in current form

The trade deal, which would include agricultural powers Argentina and Brazil, is among a litany of complaints by farmers in France and elsewhere in Europe who have been blocking roads to demand better conditions for their sector.

They fear it would further depress their produce prices amid increased competition from exporting nations that are not bound by strict and costly EU environmental laws.

READ ALSO Should I cancel my trip to France because of farmers’ protests?

“This Mercosur deal, as it stands, is not good for our farmers. It cannot be signed as is, it won’t be signed as is,” Economy Minister Bruno Le Maire told broadcasters CNews and Europe 1.

The European Commission acknowledged on Tuesday that the conditions to conclude the deal with Mercosur, which also includes Paraguay and Uruguay, “are not quite there yet”.

The talks, however, are continuing, the commission said.

READ ALSO 5 minutes to understand French farmer protests

President Emmanuel Macron said Tuesday that France opposes the deal because it “doesn’t make Mercosur farmers and companies abide by the same rules as ours”.

The EU and the South American nations have been negotiating since 2000.

The contours of a deal were agreed in 2019, but a final version still needs to be ratified.

The accord aims to cut import tariffs on – mostly European – industrial and pharmaceutical goods, and on agricultural products.

SHOW COMMENTS