The European Union will suspend meat imports of poultry and beef from Brazil starting Thursday, pending guarantees from the country regarding compliance with health standards, reports AFP.
The suspension of imports from Brazil also applies to eggs and honey. Brussels refused to provide a timeline for the resumption of imports.
The European Commission criticizes Brazil for failing to offer sufficient guarantees that its products meet European standards against the misuse of antibiotics in livestock farming.
“Brazil is an important partner for the EU, and we are working closely, constructively, and positively with the Brazilian authorities to ensure they meet these requirements. Once this compliance is demonstrated, exports to the EU can resume,” a European Commission spokesperson told AFP.
Contacted by AFP, the Brazilian government did not immediately comment on the announcement, although in May it stated it “would quickly take” all necessary measures to ensure the resumption of shipments.
Regarding poultry and honey, an audit is currently underway and is expected to conclude on Friday. If the audit proves conclusive and European countries give their approval, poultry exports from Brazil to the EU could be permitted again in the coming weeks.
However, delays could be longer for beef.
“Due to the length of production cycles for the animal species concerned, the date from which Brazil might be able to certify compliance with EU requirements varies by sector,” the European Commission explained.
The EU wants to demonstrate its vigilance after facing strong criticism from agricultural sector representatives and France following the signing of a free trade agreement with Mercosur countries—Argentine, Brazil, Uruguay, and Paraguay—in January 2026.
Brazil was removed in May from the list of countries adhering to EU rules on the intensive use of antibiotics in livestock farming, following pressure from the agricultural sector after the agreement with Mercosur countries was signed.
In 2025, Brazil was the second-largest exporter of beef to the EU, with more than 92,000 tons of beef products worth over 713 million euros.
“There is no way a European farmer can compete with me,” and if governments “import cheap meat, they will destroy their country’s agriculture,” Carlos Roberto dos Santos, a farmer from Barretos in the southeastern Brazilian state of São Paulo, told AFP. The product he uses for his livestock “helps them digest grass” so that they gain “more weight; it is not used to treat any disease,” the Brazilian farmer admitted.
Under European regulations, the use of antimicrobials in livestock farming to boost yields is prohibited. Animals also cannot be treated with antimicrobials intended for human infections. These measures are part of a European policy aimed at combating bacterial drug resistance by avoiding unnecessary antibiotic treatments.
In recent years, there has been a global explosion in the number of drug-resistant infections. According to the World Health Organization, antimicrobial-resistant (AMR) superbugs are directly responsible for more than one million deaths and contribute to nearly five million additional deaths each year.
