The European Union regrets the decision by the Russian authorities to ban a number of Moldovan meat exports on what is coincidentally the same day that the Moldovan Parliament ratified the EU-Moldova AA/DCFTA agreement, EU Trade spokesman John Clancy stated, quoted by IPN.

The spokesman’s statement says the EU will be in contact with the Moldovan partners to gather the full facts surrounding this ban by the Russian authorities and looks forward to a very speedy resolution to this issue between Moscow and Chisinau in line with WTO rules.

The EU recalls the EU-Moldovan AA/DCFTA is fully compatible with Moldova-Russian preferential trade arrangements and that there is no negative impact on these trade arrangements whatsoever. In fact, the European Union would call on both sides to continue strengthening their trade relationship for the benefit of the people, consumers and economies of Moldova and Russia, reads the statement.

John Clancy says yesterday's ratification by the Moldovan Parliament of the AA/DCFTA is proof of the democratic choice of the Moldovan people to strengthen their ties with the EU.

On July 2, Russia’s Federal Service for Veterinary and Phytosanitary Surveillance (Rosselhoznadzor) decided to ban the import of processed beef, horse meat, lamb and pork from Moldova starting with July 5, invoking violations of the phytosanitary norms and the Customs Union’s relevant requirements.