Martin Ferris (Kerry North, Sinn Fein)
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Question 396: To ask the Minister for Agriculture and Food the steps she will take to persuade Russia that Irish beef over which Russia has expressed concerns is both safe and of a higher standard than beef originating in the accession States of Romania and Bulgaria. [40383/06]

Mary Coughlan (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)
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The Russian Federation has not expressed any concerns about Irish beef which meets all the veterinary requirements for export there. What it is concerned about is the status of animal products from Romania and Bulgaria once these States have joined the EU. It has asked the EU Commission to inform it of the animal products which will be allowed to be exported to it from these countries and the phyto-sanitary requirements which will apply to them. It has also asked that the EU arrange a joint inspection of premises to be approved for export, before 1 January 2007. Otherwise it has threatened to suspend trade in animal products between Russia and the EU.

EU veterinary officials will travel to Moscow this week to explain the transitional veterinary and food safety measures that will be applied in Romania and Bulgaria from 1 January 2007. It is hoped that this will avert the threatened Russian ban on imports of animal products from the EU.

Martin Ferris (Kerry North, Sinn Fein)
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Question 397: To ask the Minister for Agriculture and Food the amount and the value of beef Ireland has exported to Russia per year since 2002. [40384/06]

Mary Coughlan (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)
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The official figures provided by the CSO on the volume and value of Irish beef exports to Russia since 2002 are shown in the table below: