Solemn signing of an Agreement on cooperation between the Federal State Budgetary Institution «Russian Standardization Institute» (FSBI «RST»), the Union of Juice, Water and Beverage Producers (DRINKSUNION), the European Fruit Juice Association (AIJN) was held on the 17th of December 2021. Solemn ceremony took place with the participation of the Federal Agency on Technical Regulating and Metrology (GOST R) and the Ministry of Agriculture of the Russian Federation.
This trilateral Agreement on cooperation provides opportunities for Russian juice industry to implement the best international practices of quality control of juice industry and self-regulation. Russian party will be able to use series of international documents for the purposes of the development of standardization of juice products after signing of this Agreement.
European Fruit Juice Association (AIJN) represents the interests of European associations, producers of juice products since 1962. Nowadays 23 associations are AIJN Members among which there are representatives of 19 countries of the European Union, Turkey, Serbia and Russia and 19 companies dealing with the production of juice products, raw materials for their production and companies which are providers of the equipment, packages or ingredients.
CEO of the Federal Agency on Technical Regulating and Metrology ( GOST R) Anton Shalaev pointed out that upgrading of the Collection of national normative documents on standardization based on the application of international standards, normative documents from other countries and maximum use of the achievements of scientific and technological development was one of strategic aims of the development of standardization in the Russian Federation. Anton Shalaev highlighted that signing of an Agreement would give the green light for the industry to follow unique approaches to the quality of juice products in Russia and all around the world, stimulate export and get rid of the gaps in the legislation for provision of fair competitiveness in the market.
President of the Union of Juice, Water and Beverage Producers (DRINKSUNION) Maksim Novikov highlighted that signing of a trilateral Agreement was a global step towards the development of Russian juice industry. President of the Union of Juice, Water and Beverage Producers (DRINKSUNION) also noted that strengthening international activities and exchange of experience would assist in increasing the reputation of juice products among the customers and would contribute to open new perspectives for production growth.
AIJN Code of Practice will be one of the first European documents that will be taken in work by the Russian party. It is one of fundamental codes not only in Europe but also in the whole world. Code of practice has been developed by the best international experts in the field of standardization. Improvement of this document has been continued more than 20 years. AIJN Code of Practice contains 27 reference guides in which physical and chemical parameters of 27 different juices are described. This Code has been accepted and it is used by national associations of fruit juices in the European Union, national food inspections, recyclers of fruit and vegetables, providers of raw materials of fruit and vegetables all over the world.
Director General of the European Fruit Juice Association (AIJN) Wouter Lox closed the solemn ceremony of signing of an Agreement. Wouter Lox noted that such cooperation was vitally important not only for the whole industry of fruit juices but also for relations between Europe and Russia. Director General of the European Fruit Juice Association also pointed out that signing of an Agreement served as an important recognition of the AIJN Code of Practice and a great step in provision of high-quality fruit juices for the customers all around the world.