Romania and Bulgaria want European OK to re-start exporting live pigs

Romania and Bulgaria want to get the European Commission’s OK to re-start exporting live pigs in the European Union from January 2015, as the two countries are currently authorized to only sell pork meat and products in the EU. “The most urgent problem we have discussed with our Bulgarian partners was the swine fever, as both us and the Bulgarians, according to the European Commission’s decision, can sell only pork meat and products from all veterinary authorized units that meet the conditions for the community area, but not live pigs,” Vladimir Manastireanu, president of the Sanitary and Veterinary National Authority (ANSVSA), told local agency Agerpres. “We’ve proposed the Bulgarian colleagues to organize in Bucharest this summer a joint work meeting with experts of the European Commission, to meet their conditions, so that we can also export live pigs in the community area starting 2015,” he added. In Manastireanu’s opinion, the animal movement control between the two countries and tightening surveillance conditions of the swine fever, especially at the borders with third countries, are two important aspects to be followed in order to get European Commission’s OK. “During talks last year with the European Commission, we asked to export live pigs starting 2014, but the European experts said they want to see surveillance measures in 2014 and whether there are any cases of swine fever at pigs raised in households, which is not the case,” said Vladimir Manastireanu. Irina Popescu, irina.popescu@romania-insider.com (photo source: Sxc.hu)