Heads of Vet Services of Customs Union countries met in Moscow

The Heads of veterinary services of the Customs Union countries-members, Nikolai Vlasov Deputy Head of Russian VPSS, Yuri Pivovarchuk Deputy Head of Vet Services of Belarus, Nigmat Zhakupbaev Head of Vet Service of Kazakhstan met in Moscow to discuss the following issues:
– the Statute of the order of conducting joint inspections of facilities and sampling of products subject to veterinary control (surveillance)
– the order of implementation of restrictions on imports from the third countries
– improvement of data exchange between the information systems of three countries
– internal veterinary certification of goods imported from the third countries and produced on the CU territory
– epizootic situation in the CU and adjacent countries

The parties agreed that if one of the countries restricts imports of certain goods from a third country into the CU territory, such restrictions will be valid for all other CU members. The party which introduced restrictions is to promptly inform about this on its website (in a restricted access mode) and acknowledge this in written to two other parties. The same procedure will apply to lifting the restrictions.

Exchange of data about issuance of import licenses will be conducted through the ARGUS information system in Russia and Belarus and through EASY APK (Unified Automated Management System of the AgroIndustrial Complex) in Kazakhstan.

VPSS suggested to switch from paper veterinary certificates for goods moved between the CU member countries to electronic ones. For such purposes Russia and Belarus will be using MERCURY Information System. Kazakhstan informed that it would continue using national system for veterinary certification. However, Russia will develop a draft protocol for electronic certification for the Customs Union members.

A technical meeting of the vet services of the CU on electronic certification was scheduled for early June in Kazakhstan.

Source: Official Web Site of Russian VPSS
Translated by: USAEEC CA/EE Office (www.usapeec.kz)
 

Date: 28 April 2012