Moscow said health and safety worries arising from swine fever in Bulgaria and Romania have prompted it to consider a ban beginning Jan. 1, the EU Observer reported Tuesday.

"They have raised concerns arising from the circulation of animal products in the EU following enlargement," European Commission spokesman Philip Tod said. "But we have taken all the necessary transitional measures to protect both the EU and third countries and we consider these to be sufficient."

The Russian threat came just 10 days before Poland used its veto on EU-Russia treaty talks to push the commission into trying to break a separate Russian embargo of Polish meat imports.

Source: United Press International