The European Commission has announced that Russia has agreed to lift a ban on EU vegetables imposed over a recent E. coli outbreak in Europe.
Russian authorities signed the agreement on June 22 during a visit by EU Health Commissioner John Dalli, who was dispatched by the European Union’s executive arm to convince Moscow to make good on a pledge to lift the ban.
The commission said each EU state exporting fresh vegetables to Russia will have to certify — for a limited period — the origin of the produce and the absence of the E. coli strain responsible for the outbreak in northern Germany.
The certification system for fresh vegetables will be in force until 10 days have elapsed following the last reported human case linked to the E. coli outbreak.
The EU exported about $862 million of vegetables to Russia last year.
compiled from agency reports