Irish beef may face Russia ban as trade row grows

THE Russian ambassador to the EU refused to give guarantees Irish beef would not be banned under a threatened embargo on European meat exports to Russia in January.

The four Fianna Fáil members of the European Parliament lobbied Vladmir Chizhov in Brussels yesterday. Russia is Ireland’s largest customer outside the EU for meat exports, taking 25,000 tonnes a year.

Mr Chizhov said they were concerned about the safety of meat from Romania and Bulgaria and that it would illegally make its way into Russia after the two countries join the EU in January. Asked if Russia would make an exception for Ireland, he said: “We will have to look into the existing procedures.”