Russia lifts embargo on Polish meat

Moscow and Warsaw have put an end to a long-standing dispute surrounding imports of Polish meat which had blocked EU attempts to broker a key trade and energy deal with Russia for more than two years.

The deal to lift the import ban was announced by a Russian farm ministry spokesperson on Wednseday (19 December). “The memorandum has been signed as planned,” the spokesman said according to Reuters.

The end to the Polish meat embargo opens the way for negotiations on a new, wide-ranging EU-Russia partnership and co-operation agreement (PCA), which have been blocked for more than two years (EURACTIV 29/10/07). 

Russia has blocked imports of Polish meat since November 2005, citing health concerns, but Warsaw claimed the ban was politically motivated and retaliated by placing a veto on trade negotiations between Russia and the EU.

The PCA, which includes an important chapter on energy, is seen as essential to EU-Russia relations.

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