"Given the situation with hog cholera and bird flu in Germany, and measures to eliminate those diseases taken by the German veterinary service, the watchdog has lifted the temporary bans imposed March 10, 2006 and April 19, 2006," the watchdog said.
Imports of pork and poultry products from Germany will resume January 25, and beef heart, liver and kidney February 1.
Meat sales became a stumbling block in relations between Moscow and the European Union, whose six-month rotating presidency Germany assumed January 1, 2007, as Russia imposed a yearlong ban on meat from EU member Poland.
Warsaw vetoed the start of talks on a new strategic Russia-EU partnership treaty in November 2006 in protest against the embargo.
Moscow accused Poland of re-exporting products from third countries to Russia, while insisting that it has no claims against Polish meat. Moscow banned meat from Poland in late 2005.
Meat from the EU have also recently been threatened by concerns over meat exported by Romania and Bulgaria, EU members since January 1, where veterinary diseases have been reported annually.
Russia sought bilateral agricultural accords with EU states to deter health risks. In late December, Russian and European veterinary and agricultural officials agreed that the EU should guarantee the quality of meat exports and ban supplies from Romania and Bulgaria.
Russian Agriculture Minister Alexei Gordeyev said last Friday the problem of meat supplies from the European Union to Russia had been settled.
He said Russia could impose restrictions if its health requirements for imported produce were violated, and promised to step up veterinary controls at border checkpoints.
