BRUSSELS, August 11 (RIA Novosti) – The European Union is hoping to evaluate the impact of Russia's ban on food imports from the EU member states by Thursday's experts' meeting, but will not be ready to decide on the replacement of the Russian market, a spokesman for the European Commission said Monday.
"Our hope is that by Thursday of this week, when we have called a meeting with member states, a management committee meeting, we will be in a position to have a clearer picture of the potential impact so that we can discuss this with member states," Roger White said at a briefing.
"But I underline that this is a potential impact. What has happened is that European exporters have lost one market, and I am not sure if by Thursday we can reach firm conclusions that therefore we can't export anywhere else. So this question of compensation I think will last quite a lot longer," White added.
A panel of experts is looking at what is involved in the Russian restrictions and their potential impact on other world markets, he said.
Last week, Russia introduced a one-year ban on agricultural and food imports from the countries that have imposed sanctions on Moscow over the Ukrainian crisis, namely Australia, Canada, the European Union, the United States and Norway. The list of produces affected by the ban includes meat, poultry, fish, seafood, milk, dairy products, fruits and vegetables.
