Romania's Push for Sheep Exports to Morocco
In a significant development for agricultural trade between Romania and Morocco, the Romanian Minister of Agriculture, Florin Barbu, announced on November 6 that he has begun negotiations with the European Commission to lift restrictions on sheep exports to several countries, including Morocco, Saudi Arabia, and Jordan. According to reports from Agerpres, the necessary contracts and technical documents for these transactions have already been prepared. Barbu is optimistic about securing the required permissions before the end of the current year, which would allow for the resumption of exports.
However, this effort faces challenges due to a European Union decision enacted in response to outbreaks of animal diseases in Romania. This decision prohibits the movement of sheep and goats from the entirety of Romania to other EU member states and third countries until December 31, 2026. The restrictions are rooted in concerns regarding the spread of diseases such as sheep pox and goat pox, which have previously posed health risks.
Potential National Decision on Exports
In an interview with Antena 3 CNN, Florin Barbu highlighted the possibility that the Romanian government may take unilateral action to authorize exports if the ongoing EU negotiations do not yield favorable results. He plans to discuss this option with the Prime Minister and the Foreign Minister, emphasizing that he has not identified any European regulations explicitly prohibiting the trade of live animals with countries outside the EU. Notably, the EU implementing decision (EU) 2026/1797, adopted on July 16, 2026, does contain an explicit ban, modifying previous decisions to extend restrictions to third countries due to animal health risks.
Barbu noted the progress made in Romania's health campaign, stating that vaccination operations in the departments of Constanța and Tulcea have been completed. He believes these health measures now enable Romania to consider the resumption of deliveries of vaccinated animals to Morocco. The Moroccan authorities had previously accepted the health conditions proposed by Romania for importing animals from vaccinated zones.
Looking ahead, a new round of discussions with the European Commission is scheduled to commence on November 18, where Barbu hopes to achieve an early lifting of restrictions to facilitate the execution of the contracts already established with foreign buyers.
As reported by bladi.net.
