Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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270. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he has had discussions with the EU Agriculture Commissioner regarding the ruling by the World Trade Organisation that Russia's 2014 import bans on live pigs, pork and other pork products from the EU are illegal; the measures being implemented to restore the export of pig products to Russia; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12402/17]

Michael Creed (Cork North West, Fine Gael)
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I very much welcome the recent ruling by the WTO, which confirmed that Russia's import bans on live pigs, pork and other pork products from the EU is illegal under international trade rules. This ruling sends a strong message to Russia and all WTO Members on their obligation to respect international standards and to adapt appropriate measures when respecting the principle of Regionalisation as part of the WTO-SPS Agreement.

I also welcome calls for Russia to withdraw this unjustified ban and to allow normal business to resume between EU businesses and its Russian partners.

Since December 2015, I have called on the Commission at regular intervals to increase its political, technical and diplomatic efforts to unlock the Russian market for EU pigmeat in relation to products such as pig fats and offals. I intend to further intensify these calls with the Commission on foot on the WTO ruling and look forward to fully engaging with the Commission on this issue.