MOSCOW, August 21. /TASS/. Russia plans to ban imports of fish from 14 farms in Norway to the territory of Customs Union, Vasily Lavrovsky, head of the inspection department of the Federal Service for Veterinary and Phytosanitary Surveillance (Rosselkhoznadzor) told TASS on Friday.
Lavrovsky said that the Russian regulator is preparing letters to the authorities in Belarus, Kazakhstan and Armenia (members of the Customs Union) to ban fish imports from those farms starting from August 24, 2015.
Rosselkhoznadzor is trying to limit imports of processed Norwegian fish which is subject to Russia’s counter sanctions through the countries of the Customs Union (Eurasian Economic Union - EAEC).
The ban on the import of fresh fish from Norway came into effect on August 7, 2014, when Russia banned food imports from the countries which imposed sanctions against it - Norway, the US, EU, Canada, Australia.
Earlier this month the food embargo was extended for one more year until August 6, 2016.
Lavrovsky stressed that like all sanctioned food imports these products will be subject to destruction if they are illegally brought on the territory of the Customs Union.
The head of Rosselkhoznadzor Sergei Dankvert confirmed this information. According to him, an inspection of 14 Norwegian companies was scheduled for the next week.
On Friday, Rosselkhoznadzor received a letter from Norway’s chief federal inspector saying that "at the moment there is no understanding on the program of inspection." It also received a letter from the Embassy of Norway, saying that the Norwegian authorities found that the inspection of the Norwegian companies would not be appropriate in the current situation.
"In this situation, Rosselkhoznadzor acts in compliance with the provisions of the Economic Commission for Europe, which envisages restrictions of supplies from such companies in case of such a refusal," - he said.