Romania will not be able to export meat to EU member countries until December 31 2009. The European Commission has decided to extend the restrictions which would have expired on September 30, 2007 because of swine fever cases identified on Romanian farms this summer.
European specialists say that both Romania and Bulgaria have yet to keep swine fever outbreaks under full control, the Romanian public radio reported on Thursday.
Romania halted pork exports in 2005. The ban was dependent on the eradication of the swine fever cases in six months.
However, this summer the pest was found in Timis and Arad counties in Western Romania, at the biggest pig farm in the country, owned by the US company Smithfield.
