Support The Moscow Times!

Russia Expands Western Food Import Ban

Russia's European food import ban will be expanded.

Russia's European food import ban on Tuesday will be expanded to include animal fat and meat byproduct imports, Russia's food safety watchdog Rosselkhoznadzor said on Monday, the state-run RIA Novosti news agency reported.

"On October 21, 2014, temporary restrictions will be introduced on imports to Russia from the European Union of a number of products used for food purposes," the agency's press service told RIA Novosti.

The ban applies to "namely, cattle and pig by-products, meat offal, cattle fat, pork fat (including lard) and bird fat," RIA Novosti reported.

Russia, in response to European Union sanctions, placed a temporary ban on most food imports from nations that had sanctioned Moscow for its annexation of Ukraine's Crimean peninsula and subsequent support for pro-Russia rebels in eastern Ukraine.

Russia, the EU's second biggest food market after the United States, decreed a one-year ban on Aug. 6. on European fruits and vegetables, dairy products and meat.

Reuters reported in early September that the ban could cost the EU 5 billion euros ($6.4 billion) in lost revenue, citing an internal EU document.

Sign up for our free weekly newsletter

Our weekly newsletter contains a hand-picked selection of news, features, analysis and more from The Moscow Times. You will receive it in your mailbox every Friday. Never miss the latest news from Russia. Preview
Subscribers agree to the Privacy Policy

A Message from The Moscow Times:

Dear readers,

We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent."

These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia.

We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help.

Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact.

By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us.

Once
Monthly
Annual
Continue
paiment methods
Not ready to support today?
Remind me later.

Read more