Russian government officials and importers to discuss fish import regulations at "Fish and Seafood" Round Table

The World Food Moscow Exposition and the Fish Union (the Russian newly-born organization uniting importers and other market players advocating development of competition)  have organized a round table "Fish and Seafood" to be held on 13 September of 2011  during World Food Moscow, according to the Russian Fish Insider Report published by http://www.megafishnet.com/. 

The Union's executive director Sergey Gudkov will act as moderator of the discussions to bring together seafood importers and government officials from the Ministry of Agriculture, Federal Fisheries Agency, Federal Customs Service, Federal Anti-Monopoly Service, the veterinary watchdog Rosselkhoznadzor and the consumer health protection service Rospotrebnadzor.

The following issues will be discussed:

• Measures to be taken by the Ministry of agriculture towards further harmonization of the Russian vet regulations with the international rules.
• Options of reforming the system for approvals of foreign processors for export to the Russian Federation. Prospects of co-operation with foreign vet authorities towards a more convenient procedure.
• Difficulties encountered by market players during control of safety of the imported fish products, the controls exercised by labs subordinate to the vet watchdog Rosselkhoznadzor. Evaluation criteria and practical implications of the outcome of the control.
• Implications of part transfer of border vet control from the vet authority to the Federal Customs Service as of 29 Junу 2011(Customs officers will check vet papers and the vet officers will step in only in case of discrepancies).
• The progress of implementation of Russia's Food Security Doctrine. The choice between import restrictions and alternative ways of increasing the share of domestic fish products on the market.
• The balance of consumption of fish products.
• Implications of the forthcoming Technical Regulations of the Customs Union (Russia, Belarus and Kazakhstan) "On Safety of Fish and Fish Products".
• Potential of the Russian fish market. Constraints for growth and competition.
• Ways of informing the consumer on the nutritional value of fish products and measures to alert the consumer of necessary precautions when making the choice.