Russia halts transit of EU poultry meat after forged veterinary certificates case

Temporary restriction begins on August 5

Russia’s Federal Service for Veterinary and Phytosanitary Supervision, Rosselkhoznadzor, will introduce temporary restrictions on the transit of poultry meat and poultry byproducts from the European Union through Russian territory from August 5, 2026. The regulator said the measure was intended to prevent the spread of animal diseases and protect consumer safety.

Evening Kazan described the measure as a temporary ban, while other Russian reports called it a temporary restriction. In practical terms, the decision stops affected EU poultry consignments from using Russian territory as a transit corridor while the measure remains in force. Rosselkhoznadzor did not provide figures for the volume or value of trade affected.

Shipment to Uzbekistan triggered the decision

According to Evening Kazan, the immediate trigger was an unlawful shipment travelling through Poland to Uzbekistan. The vehicle carried Polish registration plates, while its cargo was declared as German products. Russian authorities said the shipment was moving under falsified veterinary certificates.

The available reports do not identify the shipper, consignee, cargo volume or specific poultry products contained in the intercepted consignment. They also do not state where the documents were allegedly falsified or which company issued them. The regulatory response nevertheless applies broadly to poultry meat and byproducts originating across the European Union, rather than only to cargo declared as German or routed through Poland.

Short transition period for dispatched cargo

Products certified and dispatched before August 5 will be allowed to cross Russia through August 6 inclusive, Evening Kazan reported. The limited transition period gives consignments already in transit one additional day to complete passage, but provides no extended exemption for contracts or shipments scheduled after the restriction begins.

The restrictions will remain in place until negotiations with the European Commission are completed. No timetable for those discussions or specific conditions for lifting the measure were disclosed. The duration of the interruption will therefore depend on whether Russian and EU authorities can agree on controls that Rosselkhoznadzor considers sufficient to verify veterinary documentation and manage animal-health risks.

EU–Central Asia routes face disruption

The decision directly affects suppliers and logistics companies using Russia to reach Uzbekistan and potentially other Central Asian destinations. The reported case shows that Poland served as a routing point for goods declared to be of German origin. With the Russian corridor unavailable, affected exporters and freight operators will need to hold shipments, change their origin or certification arrangements where legally possible, or assess alternative routes that avoid Russian territory.

For importers in Uzbekistan, the immediate issue is delivery reliability rather than a documented change in poultry supply or prices. The sources provide no evidence of shortages, cancelled contracts or price movements. However, an open-ended transit restriction can increase scheduling uncertainty and compliance costs, particularly for temperature-controlled cargo with limited tolerance for delays.

The case also raises the importance of document verification across the supply chain. Exporters, brokers and carriers handling EU poultry for Central Asian buyers now face greater scrutiny over the consistency between vehicle registration, declared product origin and veterinary certificates. Until the talks with the European Commission conclude, market participants have no confirmed date for the restoration of the Russian transit route.