WTO cracks first import ban for European pork

Russia must reverse the import ban that the country uses for European pork for sanitary and phytosanitary reasons. Since 2014, Russia and Europe have been arguing about the controversial import ban, because Europe strongly doubts the Russian motivation behind the import ban. However, it is unlikely that trading will be able to pick up again.

Russia closed the border in January 2014 after African swine fever was found within the borders of the European Union. The World Trade Organization (WTO) is also involved in the discussion and assessed the Russian import ban as illegal in August 2016. In response to this ruling, the Kremlin appealed, only to no avail. The WTO also maintains its position with regard to the second verdict: the Russian import ban is illegal, because it is not reasonable to ban all European pork if African swine fever has actually been detected in only a few countries. A 

The WTO ruling on February 23 specifically means that Russia must make the rules comply with WTO standards. If Russia stands firm and continues to apply the import ban, Europe can claim compensation for lost income. Before the boycott, Russia accounted for 25 percent of the EU's pork exports, worth 1,4 billion euros 

Whether the WTO ruling means that pork exports to Russia can get going again is not likely. A second ban applies to most meat products, because of another import ban that Russia uses. Since August 2014, Russia has applied an import ban for European fruit, vegetables, meat, fish, poultry, nuts and dairy. Eastern Ukraine.

In fact, the export of European pork to Russia has already encountered two boycotts since 2014. 

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