Russia is introducing a temporary ban on imports of a range of poultry meat products from several European Union countries to combat the potential spread of avian influenza – in a move that tightens an earlier food embargo targeting western nations.

Rosselkhoznadzor, Russia’s federal service for veterinary and phytosanitary surveillance, said the new ban is in response to reported cases of highly pathogenic avian influenza in 22 EU states. The agency said it is also issuing a temporary ban on imports of hatching eggs from unspecified “regions not entirely within EU countries”.

Go deeper with GlobalData

Data Insights

The gold standard of business intelligence.

Find out more

Related Company Profiles

View all

A Rosselkhoznadzor spokesperson told just-food today (13 February) that the new restrictions “will stop all poultry imports” from the countries concerned – tightening a food embargo imposed by Russia against western nations and extended last year until the end of 2017.

The spokesperson said Russia’s original food embargo, announced in response to sanctions imposed on Russia over its role in the 2014 Ukrainian crisis, had not applied “to certain poultry products such as hatching eggs and live poultry and others”. “However, the new restrictions will stop all the poultry imports,” the spokesperson added.  

According to Rosselkhoznadzor, the new ban will block poultry meat products from Austria, the UK, Hungary, Bulgaria, Greece, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Poland, Romania, Slovakia, France, Croatia, the Czech Republic and Sweden.

Russian news agency Tass said on 4 February the ban would come into effect “over the next two weeks”.

How well do you really know your competitors?

Access the most comprehensive Company Profiles on the market, powered by GlobalData. Save hours of research. Gain competitive edge.

Company Profile – free sample

Thank you!

Your download email will arrive shortly

Not ready to buy yet? Download a free sample

We are confident about the unique quality of our Company Profiles. However, we want you to make the most beneficial decision for your business, so we offer a free sample that you can download by submitting the below form

By GlobalData
Visit our Privacy Policy for more information about our services, how we may use, process and share your personal data, including information of your rights in respect of your personal data and how you can unsubscribe from future marketing communications. Our services are intended for corporate subscribers and you warrant that the email address submitted is your corporate email address.

Meanwhile, Rosselkhoznadzor has warned the import ban could be extended to cover live birds. The agency said it is asking the European Commission to order relevant authorities in EU member states to provide Russia with “more information within a week” about adherence to animal health requirements with regards to shipments of live poultry to the Russian Federation from farms in areas where avian flu has been recorded.

Rosselkhoznadzor said it “will be forced to extend” the import ban to live birds to those countries that do not provide the information it is asking for in time.

In November, the European Commission urged EU member states to “remain vigilant and enforce bio-security measures”, following outbreaks of bird flu in poultry and wild birds across Europe.

Last month, the EU lifted a temporary ban on poultry exports to the bloc from Ukraine after the two sides agreed on “regionalisation arrangements” for tackling avian flu.