Russia bans imports of Moldovan meat products in April 2005.

Context

In April 2005, Russia banned imports of meat products from Moldova. The Russian government claimed that the ban was motivated by concerns about the quality and origins of Moldovan meat exports – with particular suspicions that Moldova may have been re-exporting meat products that it had imported from third countries. The broader context for the ban was deteriorating bilateral relations between Chișinău and Moscow. Notably, the ban came one month after parliamentary elections in Moldova, won by a party considered to seek alignment with the EU.

Impact 

This wide-ranging ban, with no time limit, included imports of beef, poultry and mutton, together with all other products derived from meat. In 2004, prior to the ban, Moldova exported around 5078 tons of meat products to Russia. Analysis of the ban by one media outlet claimed that “[c]ompared with the wine bans (Russia’s bans on imports of Modova’s wine), the restrictions on the import of meat din not seriously affect the economy, in light of the fact that the volume of exports was insignificant and because Moldova produces about 70% of the meat it consumes, the rest being imported.

Responses

(i) Moldovan Industry Responses

According to reporting, Moldova’s meat industry “protested loudly against the imposition of the ban” amid fears that firms might go bankrupt. According to one report from December 2005, the ban on meat (as well as other farm products) exports to Russia meant that Moldovan exporters of these products saw their incomes slashed between 40-80, with the report concluding that “Moldova has failed to diversify its agricultural exports”.

(ii) Moldovan Government Repsonses 

The Moldovan government rejected the premise of the ban, with head of the Moldova State Veterinary Inspection’s veterinary and sanitation department, Mikhail Tomsha, saying that “[w]e supply Russia with meat and by-products that are manufactured only at local meat processing factories.” The Prime Minister of Moldova, Vasile Tarlev, told reporters that “Moldova has complied with all of Russia’s requirements. But there has been no reply from Russia.” Ultimately, the government of Moldova threatened to block Russia’s entry into the WTO unless and until the ban was removed.

(iiI) Third Party Responses 

The US State Department acknowledged this 2005 ban as an example of “Russian economic pressure” in a profile of Moldova.

Status

An end to the ban was announced in October 2006, following talks between President of Moldova Vladimir Voronin, and Russian President Vladimir Putin. President Putin told press at the time that “[e]xperts of both countries have done a lot in Moldova and in Russia to verify the quality of agricultural products”. However, the end of the ban appears to have been implemented from January 2007, following a meeting between Moldova’s Minister of Agriculture and Food Industry, Anatolie Gorodenco, and Russian counterpart Serghe Dakvert. According to reporting, Russia’s willingness to resolve this case is thought to be related to its desire to join the WTO in 2007 – a move that Moldova and Georgia were threatening to block.

References & Further Information

BBC News. 2006. “Russian ends trade ban on Moldova.” BBC News. November 29. Available at: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/6194072.stm

Food Navigator Europe. n.d. “Russia bans Moldovan meat imports.” Food Navigator Europe. Available at: https://www.foodnavigator.com/Article/2005/04/22/Russia-bans-Moldovan-meat-imports

IPN Press Agency. 2007. “Russia lifts ban on beef import from Moldova.” IPN Press Agency. January 27. Available at: https://www.ipn.md/en/russia-lifts-ban-on-beef-import-from-moldova-7966_963275.html

New York Times. 2006. “Russia to lift ban on imports of meat and wine from Moldova – Europe – International Herald Tribune.” New York Times. October 28. Available at: Russia to lift ban on imports of meat and wine from Moldova – Europe – International Herald Tribune (Published 2006)

The Guardian. 2005. “Communists win reduced majority in Moldovan elections.” The Guardian. March 8. Available at: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2005/mar/07/1

US Department of State. n.d. “Profile: Moldova.” US  Department of State. Available at: https://2009-2017.state.gov/outofdate/bgn/moldova/74205.htm