The Head of the Russian veterinary service (Rosselkhoznadzor), Sergey Dankvert and the CEO of the European Commission's Directorate-General for Health and Consumer Protection, Paola Testori Koji, are due to meet in Madrid, Spain on Friday 14 March, according to Rosselkhoznadzor.

The meeting aims to discuss the possibility of resuming exports of pork and pork products from the EU to Russia and other countries of the Customs Union. This trade was suspended following the start of African swine fever outbreaks in the EU wild boar population.

Also on the agenda are discussions on the outcome of last week's technical consultations of European Commission experts on the diagnosis, prevention and control of African swine fever with scientists and specialists from Rosselkhoznadzor Federal Center for Animal Health and the Central Apparatus Rosselkhoznadzor.

Regionalisation conditions were discussed in the European Union in connection with the registration of outbreaks of African swine fever in wild boar populations, in accordance with the provisions of the Memorandum on the principles of zoning and regionalisation in the veterinary field signed between Russia and the European Union in 2006, the Terrestrial Animal Health Code of the OIE and WTO agreement on sanitary and phytosanitary measures.

Regionalisation needs to take into account an objective and scientifically sound risk assessment of the current ASF situation in the EU, says Rosselkhoznadzor.