Reports emerged this week that the Russian Federation is considering the removal of some products, including cheese with protected GI status, from its list of banned agricultural food imports.
On August 7 2014, Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev announced a complete ban on the import of beef, pork, poultry, fruit, vegetables, cheese and milk from EU Member States, the US, Australia, Canada, and Norway.
Lactose-free milk and lactose-free dairy products were among several items removed from the blacklist two weeks later.
Now, cheeses with protected designation of origin (PDO) and protected geographical indication (PGI) status are among a a handful of items rumoured to be next off the list.
Speaking with DairyReporter.com, Alexander Anton, secretary general, the European Dairy Association, said such a move - while welcome - would hardly be cause for celebration.
"It would be great if they lift the ban on GI cheeses," said Anton. "But of all EU cheese volumes to Russia, GI cheese is not a big part."
EU Member States exported around 250,000 tonnes of cheese, worth approximately €980m (US$1.3bn), to Russia in 2013, according to UN trade data.
Of this total, cheeses with protected designation of origin (PDO) and protected geographical indication (PGI) status accounted for only a small amount, said Anton.
France, for example, boasts a total of 51 GI-registered cheeses, including Roquefort, Comté, and Gruyère.
But typical GI cheese shipments from France to Russia were "almost below detection levels," said Anton.
For example, around 52 tonnes of Roquefort cheese were shipped to Russia from France, said Anton.
Parmigiano Reggiano and Grana Padano were the most exported GI cheeses to Russia in 2013, but even they accounted for just 2,000 tonnes, he said.
"In the overall market, imports of GI cheese into Russia wouldn't change the game," he continued.
“From a market perspective, it would not rock the boat."