The European Union is set to halt imports of Brazilian meat and other animal products from Thursday, intensifying scrutiny of one of the bloc’s major food suppliers while Brussels awaits assurances that Brazil is meeting EU animal-health requirements.
The European Commission said Brazil had not provided adequate guarantees that its exports comply with European standards designed to prevent the improper use of antibiotics in livestock production.
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“Brazil will no longer be authorised to export to the Union food-producing animals and products of animal origin intended for human consumption,” a Commission spokeswoman told AFP.
The suspension will cover products including poultry, meat, eggs, honey and casing.
Brazil was placed on an EU list in May after being judged not to be fully adhering to rules governing antibiotic use in animals.
An EU audit of Brazil’s poultry and honey industries is scheduled to be completed on Friday.
Should the results prove favourable and receive approval from EU member states, Brazilian poultry shipments to the bloc could restart within weeks.
Beef exports, however, are expected to face a longer wait.
EU under pressure over Mercosur deal
The Commission said the pace of any resumption would depend on how quickly Brazil can show that it has met the bloc’s requirements.
“Brazil is an important partner for the EU and we are working closely, constructively and positively with Brazilian authorities to ensure their compliance with these requirements,” the spokeswoman said.
“Once compliance is demonstrated, exports to the EU will be able to resume.”
Brussels is eager to demonstrate that it is enforcing its standards after coming under intense pressure from farmers and France over its signing in January 2026 of a free trade agreement with Mercosur, the South American bloc comprising Argentina, Brazil, Uruguay and Paraguay.
Brazil ranked as the EU’s second-largest beef supplier in 2025, sending more than 92,000 tonnes to the bloc in shipments valued at over €713 million.
The EU prohibits antimicrobials from being used to promote growth in livestock and limits the use of antibiotics reserved for human medicine, measures intended to help contain the spread of antimicrobial resistance.
