PROVACUNO demands that the European Commission require strict compliance with the European production model for beef imported under the EU-Australia Free Trade Agreement
“It is essential,” he stressed, “that our leaders guarantee compliance with the rules required of European producers and that, likewise, no further regulations are imposed on EU farmers and manufacturers that are not shared by third countries.”
“Obviously, we are not against free trade. We are against free trade with different and unbalanced rules,” concluded the director of PROVACUNO.
The EU-Australia Free Trade Agreement could significantly alter the competitive landscape for the beef sector in Europe. A preferential quota of 30,600 tons represents a fourfold increase in the amount of Australian beef that entered the EU last year.
Until now, Australia has operated as a third country without a preferential trade agreement with the EU, meaning its beef exports are governed by the Common External Tariff. Current tariff-rate quotas are small (marginal compared to the size of the EU market), and the impact is currently limited. Once the quota is exceeded, the EU applies a very high tariff that makes imports virtually impossible. In 2025, EU imports of Australian beef reached 7,296 tons, an all-time high.
The EU-Australia Free Trade Agreement may have a strong impact on European production, due to market saturation caused by the cumulative effect of other agreements reached by the EU such as those with Mercosur, Canada and New Zealand, especially due to the import of higher value cuts.
In 2025, beef consumption in the European Union was around 6.3 million tons. Projections point to a slightly downward trend until 2034, with a gradual contraction in per capita consumption amid inflationary pressures, dietary changes, and climate policies.
The increase in imported meat could push European livestock and industrial activity downwards in the medium term, with the consequent effects on beef production and the depopulation of rural areas.
Converting the ton into animal equivalent (with a carcass weight standard of 300 kg), the quota allocated to Australia (30,600 t) translates into 102,000 bovine animals slaughtered per year.
An average farm in the EU has 50 animals and occupies 34 hectares according to Eurostat, so we are talking about 2,040 farms (with the consequent families that carry out the activity) and about 70,000 hectares.
Although the effect may seem limited, it is important to consider that we are in a context of continued decline in the European livestock population. Between 2014 and 2024, the number of cattle in the EU fell by 8.7% (source: Eurostat), and in just one year, more than 1 million cows (both beef and dairy) were lost, reflecting a structural trend of contraction in the sector.
Based on the EU Meat Market Observatory update of 19.3.2026, the average reference prices are:
That is, a difference of €209/100 kg carcass or €2.09/kg carcass; in other words, the Australian reference price is 29% below the average EU price.
Differences between regulatory models and production systems
There are notable differences between the regulatory models and production systems of the EU and Australia, which have a direct effect in terms of costs, always in favor of the Australian product.
For example, in Australia, a significant proportion of beef is produced in feedlots with higher concentrations of animals, far removed from the European production model, as well as castration and tail docking without anesthesia (if the animals are below certain age thresholds) or the transport of animals without access to water or food for up to 48 hours.
Similarly, in Australia, hormonal growth promoters (HGPs) such as estrogens (e.g., estradiol 17β), testosterone, zeranol, progesterone, or trenbolone acetate are registered and authorized for use in livestock production, as are growth-promoting antibiotics (such as monensin sodium), all of which are banned by the European Union.
The Free Trade Agreement with Australia also has environmental implications, as it will involve imported emissions (each ton of meat traveling from Australia to Europe generates CO₂ emissions solely from maritime transport). This highlights a contradiction with the EU's sustainability commitments and our own legislation, which requires our entire economy to reduce CO₂ emissions, yet then freely imports them under its trade agreements.
Furthermore, beef imports from Australia will fall under the scope of the European Union's Imported Deforestation Regulation (EUDR) (2023/1115), which in practice means that if full traceability cannot be demonstrated or the product cannot be proven to be deforestation-free, it will not be allowed to be sold on the European market.
PROVACUNO is therefore calling on Brussels to strengthen audits and approve official control systems for meat production destined for the EU at origin, as well as documentary, identity and physical inspection controls, in addition to having an effective safeguard clause system that prevents in time any alteration of trade flows and market stability.
The Free Trade Agreement with Australia should also include explicit equivalence in animal welfare and the fight against antimicrobial resistance, requiring Australian producers wishing to export to the EU market to align their animal handling practices with European requirements.
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