VILNIUS – Although Lithuanian consumers are not very likely to run into imported Belgian products containing cancer-causing dioxin at their local grocery store, the country is not taking any chances.
Lithuania's State Veterinary Service is banning the import of meat, dairy products and feed from other countries unless it is accompanied with documentation stating it is all dioxin-free.
"Because of the Belgian meat scandal, our veterinary service decided to apply stricter requirements for importing meat and dairy products," said Jonas Burokas of the Lithuanian State Veterinary Service. "Any imported meat should have a certificate from the veterinary service of the country it is coming from."
Although a free trade agreement exists among Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia, each country has taken at least one turn at angering the other two by imposing some sort of restriction on its imports.
Most recently, Lithuania and Estonia accused Latvia of foul play for its implementation of imported pork tariffs. Lithuania's latest move to require documents might have confused its neighbors but apparently has not broken any rules.
"From [the Latvian Foreign Ministry's] point of view, this doesn't violate the Baltic Free Trade Agreement," a Latvian Foreign Ministry spokesman told TBT.
The Estonians have echoed the same idea. Although, according to a Baltic News Service report, Estonia's state veterinary group had trouble nailing down exactly what the Lithuanian move meant at first.
"Lithuania does not require checking of the dioxin contents of meat, just confirmation that the animals have not been fed fodder originating in countries connected with the dioxin scandal," said Estonian Veterinary and Food Inspectorate adviser Henrick Kuus. "Information must be added that the animals have not received that fodder."
Burokas said that an actual inspection process for dioxin is expensive and requires sophisticated equipment. Despite this, some products have been sent to Germany to be tested.
"We recently received some Belgian powder made from egg whites," said Burokas. "So we sent it to Germany to be tested. One check can cost between 500 [$265] to 2,000 Deutschemarks."
Burokas said he was unsure of how long the documentation requirement will last, but he expressed hope that the situation would soon become "clear and normal."
