Armenia Slams Russia's Dairy Import Ban as Unjustified Trade Barrier
At the government hour in the parliament of Armenia on April 12, Minister of Economy Vahan Kerobyan stated that the Rosselkhoznadzor's [Russian Federal Service for Veterinary and Phytosanitary Supervision] ban on dairy products from Armenia could be considered a trade barrier. The Armenian side is seeking its abolition.
"In our opinion, such a decision could not be made within the framework of the regulation of the EAEU [Eurasian Economic Union]," the head of the economic department noted, referring to the principle of free movement of goods within the integration association in the Eurasian space and the recognition of uniform norms of sanitary control. "Discussions are underway with Russian partners to lift the ban as soon as possible - in whole or in part. Perhaps soon it will be possible to achieve results," the minister suggested.
"At the same time, Armenia is preparing to strengthen control over food safety. Local producers have already been required to bring their production processes in line with HACCP standards [Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points]. But the checks show that these rules are not always observed," the head of the Ministry of Economy noted. "We will strengthen control along the entire production chain and prepare bills that should change the level of food safety," Kerobyan assured.
Read also:
Armenian Dairy Producers Face Uncertainty as Russia Keeps Its Import Ban
Armenia's Food Safety Agency Reacts to Russia's Plan to Restrict Dairy Imports from Armenia
Russia Considers Imposing Restrictions on Dairy Imports from Armenia