Russia and Norway are introducing a new veterinary certificate for fish as of February 1, Russia's Federal Veterinary and Phytosanitary Oversight Service (Rosselkhoznadzor) told Interfax.
This certificate was originally intended to be introduced on the first of the year, but at the request of Norway's food safety authority Mattilsynet the timing was pushed back a month.
Rosselkhoznadzor has also agreed to Norway's suggestions that the certificate not name administrative-territorial entities where certified product consignments come from. Also, the certificate will be signed not by a veterinary inspector, but by an authorized state inspector.
The need to renew the certificate is due to the current one initialed by Rosselkhoznadzor and Mattilsynet in 2007 not meeting new Customs Union requirements. Furthermore, there has lately been an increase in the violation of CU veterinary-sanitary requirements as regards the delivery of fish product from Norway, and reviews by Russian specialists have turned up substantial deficiencies in the oversight system for Norwegian fish and seafood product safety.
Mattilsynet has requested of Rosselkhoznadzor that it conduct in Q1 an audit of the Norwegian control and oversight system for ensuring the safety of fish and seafood products destined for Russia and the Customs Union. This audit could take place in March or April, Rosselkhoznadzor figures.
Per Norway's fisheries committee, Russia last year was the country's biggest buyer of Norwegian fish for a second straight year, importing salmon and trout most of all. In 2012, Norwegian fish exports to Russia reached a new record volume of EUR 820 million, 15% more than for 2011. The quantitative volume of those exports weighed in at 320,000 tonnes last year, up from 300,000 tonnes in 2011. Salmon exports to Russia rose to 133,000 from 104,000 tonnes and trout exports to 32,000 from 20,000 tonnes.
