Russia halts transit of EU poultry meat after suspicious shipment
Rosselkhoznadzor says allegedly forged veterinary papers and unclear origin of a shipment prompted a temporary ban while an investigation and talks with the European Commission proceed.
Russia has ordered a temporary halt to transit of poultry meat and poultry products originating from the European Union after authorities flagged a suspicious consignment accompanied by allegedly forged veterinary documents.
The measure was announced by the federal veterinary and phytosanitary watchdog, Rosselkhoznadzor, which said it introduced the restriction citing the risk of spreading infectious animal diseases and the need to protect consumers.
According to the Russian statement, the shipment consisted of by-products of poultry meat declared as of German origin and was being transported via Poland on its way to Uzbekistan. Rosselkhoznadzor said the goods entered the border of the Eurasian Economic Union in a vehicle with Polish licence plates and were accompanied by documents that Moscow considers forged.
Checks and verification
After inspections, Rosselkhoznadzor reported it was unable to confirm the true origin of the products.
"Based on analysis of information systems and the response from the German veterinary service, it was determined that the product is of unknown origin," Russian authorities said.
The agency added that the restriction will remain in place until the investigation is complete and consultations with the European Commission have been held. The move is likely to prompt discussions between Russian regulators and EU counterparts over transit controls and document verification procedures.
Photo: press material from the event
