Mexico has agreed to take supplies of fresh pigmeat and processed hams from Spain, with similar signs of encouragement for future trading agreements being concluded with other EU member states, according to European farm commissioner, Phil Hogan.
Speaking this morning (April 12) during a European Parliament (EP) plenary session, he unveiled the new Mexico/Spanish agreement as the first successful outcome from his recent visit to Mexico and Columbia.
He also announced that a similar Mexican market “go-ahead” for fresh pigmeat from France was expected, along with good prospects for fresh pigmeat supplies to be taken from Germany, Romania and Italy.
In addition, he said that an audit is scheduled in May for Poland, after which he hoped there will be opportunities for fresh pigmeat to be exported from Poland to Mexico.
Noting that these trade developments resulted from his “diplomatic offensive” aimed at identifying and building new market opportunities, Mr Hogan reminded EP members that he will be leaving tomorrow to begin similar trade talks in Kazakhstan, China and Japan.
The commissioner’s other EP comments, as related to the pig sector, included a reassurance that “every effort is being made to lift the protectionist ban imposed by Russia on pig products from the EU”.
“Over recent months and in parallel with the World Trade Organisation procedure, the European Commission (EC) has made “numerous efforts to convince Russia to engage in meaningful technical negotiations for an agreed solution at EU level,” he said. “We also made clear that we are ready to examine any concrete proposal Russia submits to the EU.
“Even though, so far, the Russian reaction has not been very positive, the dialogue remains open.”