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Latvia says not informed by Russia about canned fish import ban

The official also said it's surprising that the Russian watchdog banned fish products that it had banned before

RIGA, July 28. /TASS/. Latvia’s Food and Veterinary Service has not yet received an official written notification from Russia’s consumer rights watchdog Rospotrebnadzor about a ban on the import of some Latvian canned fish products into Russia, head of Latvia’s food surveillance department Ernests Zavadskis told TASS on Tuesday.

"We have not received any official information from Rospotrebnadzor. Usually, in civilized countries, the competent authorities of one country shall first inform the competent authorities of another country of the deficiencies so that the exporting party could put forward valid claims or present its position, or take remedial action. We have not received such a letter from Rospotrebnadzor," he said.

Zavadskis also said he was surprised at the ban. "As for the import ban, I’m surprised by the presentation of the problem, because [Russia’s veterinary and phytosanitary watchdog] Rosselkhoznadzor on June 4 this year, already banned imports of Latvian fish products, so I don’t understand what Rospotrebnadzor has banned in this case. How can you ban already prohibited activities?" he said.

Rospotrebnadzor reported on Tuesday that the import into Russia of canned fish produced by the Latvian enterprises - JSC Ventspils Fish Canning Plant, the GAMMA-A, Sabiedrba IMS, Unda, Suldus galas kombinats limited liability companies, is suspended starting from August 1, 2015. An inspection of these enterprises’ canned fish products has revealed that they "fail to meet the labelling, product weight content requirements, and their organoleptic indicators do not conform to the sanitary norms."

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