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Russia may ease restrictions on imports of livestock products from EU — watchdog

Head of the regulator Sergey Dankvert noted that any potential relaxation of restrictions can occur only under one condition: that all products coming into Russia undergo strict inspections

MOSCOW, January 22. /TASS/. Russian agricultural watchdog (Rosselkhoznadzor) does not rule out easing restrictions on imports of livestock products from the EU in a month, head of the regulator, Sergey Dankvert, told reporters.

"We have now suspended [imports of] everything that can carry foot-and-mouth disease. It will be strict for about a month, after which we will assess whether the disease has spread or not. Depending on the situation, the restrictions may be eased—or they may remain," he said on the sidelines of the Second Forum of Dairy Industry Leaders.

He noted that any potential relaxation of restrictions can occur only under one condition: that all products coming into Russia undergo strict inspections.

According to the agricultural watchdog, in 2024, more than 2,000 heads of breeding pigs, 3,525 heads of breeding cattle and horses, 1.3 million heads of breeding day-old chickens, and 16.1 million breeding hatching eggs were imported to Russia from EU countries.

About ban on livestock products

From January 20, 2025, Rosselkhoznadzor imposed a ban on the import of livestock products from the entire territory of the European Union to Russia due to the threat of the spread of foot-and-mouth disease. The agency also suspended the certification of all animals susceptible to foot-and-mouth disease and all related products subject to state veterinary supervision that are transported from the territory of the European Union to Russia, including the transit of such goods through Russian territory to third countries.

On January 9, 2025, Germany notified the World Organization for Animal Health of the first outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease in the country in 37 years.