Russia backs Brazil
Brazil has won a heavyweight ally in its current battle with the EU over its ban on Brazilian beef — Russia.
On a recent visit to the South American country, director of the Russian Veterinary and Phyto-sanitary Service, Sergei Dankvert, said that his country would support the Brazilian authorities in their negotiations with Brussels.
Speaking to the O Estado de S.Paulo newspaper, in a joint interview with Brazil’s Minister of Agriculture Reinhold Stephanes, Mr Dankvert said that Brazilian beef was of good quality and defended transparency in trade negotiations.
He also confirmed that Russia had authorized another 40 Brazilian meat packing plants to sell beef to the Eastern European country.
Although Brazil has admitted that some beef exports to the EU have fallen below regulatory standards, it believes that Europe’s decision to ban its beef is based on political reasons rather than safety regulations.
