Negotiations between Rosselkhoznadzor and Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA)

The talks were held via video conference and were devoted to issues related to safe export of fish, fish and seafood products from Canada to Russia. The parties expressed readiness to prepare and initial veterinary certificate for fish coming to Canadian cold storages for temporary storage in the shortest possible time.

The Canadian party expressed interest in early removal of temporary restrictions imposed by the Rosselkhoznadzor on six Canadian fish rendering establishments.The Agency has already sent materials on removal of these restrictions from three of these establishments to the Rosselkhoznadzor. Documents on the rest of the establishments will be submitted in the nearest time. CFIA can guarantee safety of products from these establishments and their compliance with the CU, Russian and Canadian standards and requirements. However, according to the Russian party restrictions for product export from these establishments can be removed only on results of their re-inspection by the Rosselkhoznadzor specialists. New Canadian establishments can be included in a relevant register only on outcomes of their inspection. This is due to the fact that last year the Rosselkhoznadzor had to impose enhanced laboratory control over 11 Canadian fish rendering establishments also due to detection of such dangerous contaminators as chloramphenicol and S. aureus. Herewith, the number of detected violations does not decrease. At the same time most of 159 Canadian fish rendering establishments were included in register under the CFIA guarantees.

The CFIA representatives assured the Rosselkhoznadzor of their intention to enhance laboratory control of products meant for export to Russia by increasing sampling frequency. As noted by the Russian experts safety should be achieved on the principle of comprehensive control of fish and seafood capture, rendering and storage as well as their transportation to the CU border. It was noted that the dates of the inspection of fish rendering establishments will be specified after the CFIA makes official request and the dates are agreed upon with Veterinary Services of Belarus and Kazakhstan, Russian CU partners.