Russia ends ban on Irish live cattle and meat

"We've completely lifted the bans on France and Ireland and partially lifted the one on the Netherlands as the situation with…

Russia removed its ban on imports of live cattle and meat products from Ireland and France today and relaxed restrictions on the Netherlands, Russia's agriculture ministry said.

"We've completely lifted the bans on France and Ireland and partially lifted the one on the Netherlands as the situation with foot-and-mouth disease is better," a spokeswoman for the ministry said.

Russia banned imports of all cattle and meat products from European Union countries in February over foot-and-mouth disease. Since then it has been gradually easing the bans.

The spokeswoman said imports of meat and cattle from Overijssel, Gelderland and Friesland in the Netherlands were still banned.