September 10 2008, 09:22

EU-countries not to accomplish agreements on security of supplied to Russia fruit and vegetable produce

In the Federal Service for Veterinary and Phytosanitary Surveillance (Rosselkhoznadzor) they consider that the European Union does not fulfill conditions of the Memorandum on providing security of the supplied to Russia food vegetable produce.

According to Rosselkhoznadzor, after the Memorandum coming into force (July 15, 2008), number of the cases increased when products do not meet the Russian security standards on content of pesticide residuals. Since August 18 till 31, 1.100 tonnes of such produce were discovered.

That is why, Sergey Dankvert gave a phone talk to Paola Testori Coggi, the Deputy General Director of Health and Consumers Protection, during which he drew attention to these facts.

According to S. Dankvert, these facts display that the system of providing security of the supplied to Russia food vegetable produce foreseen by the Memorandum has not started working yet. This gives concern in the light of approaching seasonal large shipment of fruits from such European countries as Poland, Belgium, Netherlands, Spain, Belgium, Greece, including via territory of Lithuania.

S. Dankvert asked P. Coggi to provide Rosselkhoznadzor with the results of monitoring of food plant produce security, exported to Russia, made by the competent authorities of the European Union, as soon as possible.

During their talk they reached agreement about negotiations between the experts of Russia and EU regarding security of plant produce next week as well as for negotiations to be held in Netherlands in the beginning of October.