EU officials are drawing up new measures to help food producers hit by a Russian ban on agricultural imports and will publish them over the coming days, the European Commission said.

Moscow in August imposed a one-year embargo on meat, fish, dairy, fruit and vegetables from the US, the EU, Canada, Australia and Norway in retaliation for Western sanctions over Moscow’s involvement in the Ukraine crisis.

EU farm exports to Russia are worth some €11 billion annually, or roughly 10 per cent of the bloc’s agricultural sales. The Russian embargo has affected EU products worth €5 billion, said the Commission, the EU executive.

Following debate with representatives of the 28 member states on Tuesday, the Commission is finalising the text and budget for a new compensation scheme and expects to make an announcement in the coming days, spokesman Roger Waite said.

“Official publication is expected early next week, with new rules entering into force straight away,” he said.

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