World meat industry news

Amendments have been made to the Code of Administrative Offenses of the Russian Federation (CAO RF) that toughen administrative penalties for a number of violations in the field of veterinary medicine. The relevant amendments to the Code will come into force on October 31, 2022.

In particular, the law introduced administrative liability for violating the rules for combating quarantine and especially dangerous animal diseases, which resulted in the emergence of foci of infectious animal diseases or the spread of such diseases, if this action does not contain signs of a criminally punishable act.

For such a violation, the following fines are established: for citizens - up to 30 thousand rubles, for officials - up to 80 thousand rubles, for legal entities - up to 600 thousand rubles. In addition, the activities of the offending enterprise may be suspended for up to 90 days.

Also, Article 10.6 of the Code of Administrative Offenses of the Russian Federation was supplemented with provisions providing for increased administrative liability for repeated violation of animal quarantine rules or other veterinary and sanitary rules, as well as for repeated violation of the rules for combating quarantine and especially dangerous animal diseases.

In addition, the new version of the code toughens punishment for a number of other violations of veterinary legislation.

For example, the maximum fines for concealing the facts of loss of livestock or mass diseases of animals for citizens were raised from 4 to 5 thousand rubles, for officials - from 40 to 50 thousand rubles, for legal entities - from 100 to 150 thousand rubles.

For the same violations committed during quarantine, the maximum fines for citizens increased from 5 to 10 thousand rubles, for officials - from 50 to 70 thousand rubles, for companies - from 150 to 300 thousand rubles. In addition, if the violator is a legal entity, the activities of his enterprise may be suspended for up to 60 days.

Administrative responsibility in the veterinary field has not been increased in Russia since 2013. As noted in the Ministry of Agriculture, the amounts of fines established earlier were no longer a serious incentive to comply with veterinary legislation.

According to the agency, the amount of direct damage to the Russian economy from African swine fever, foot-and-mouth disease and bird flu annually exceeds 2 billion rubles.