According to Prime Minister Algirdas Butkevicius, this marks the end of negotiations with the US officials.
Butkevicius said that Lithuania expected such a decision to be made after the visit to the US. The prime minister was pleased that all procedures related to the export of meat from Lithuania to the US have been completed. The public debate will end by 17 February 2015, afterwards the permission to export meat from Lithuania will officially take effect. The prime minister hopes that Lithuanian meat producers will be able to export beef, pork, sheepmeat, goatmeat and their products already in the first half of 2015.
Companies that wish to export meat to the US will have to be certified by Lithuania's State Food and Veterinary Service. In addition, goods will be inspected by competent US authorities on entry.
Negotiation with the FSIS were launched in 2004, however the process sped up after Prime Minister Algirdas Butkevicius' visit to the US on October, where he met with US Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack.
