Russia has announced a ban on 11 Estonian dairy and fish exporters, which will take effect from Jan. 9, 2014, the Estonian Public Broadcasting (ERR) reported Friday.

The move was part of Russia's attempt to force the rules of its customs union with Belarus and Kazakhstan onto the European Union, of which Estonia is a member, the ERR quoted Marko Mihkelson, head of Estonian Parliament's Foreign Affairs Committee, as saying.

Russia recently also banned food products from the Netherlands and Lithuania as these companies failed an inspection by Russia in October, the report said.

Ago Partel, head of the Estonian Veterinary and Food Board, said the ban follows a previous pattern whereby Russia bans products, then negotiations are opened and the bans are alleviated or dropped.

Partel predicted that the process would take at least a few months.

The overall effect of the ban on the Estonian dairy and fish industries is not yet known.

A number of the companies in question has told Estonian media that they export between 30 and 80 percent of their products to Russia, Belarus or Kazakhstan.

Russia had already imposed sanctions on two fisheries in early November for using raw materials from companies not recognized by Russia.

A similar ban on Lithuanian dairy products was introduced at the beginning of October has cost the country's industry millions of euros. Endi

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