The move follows a vote by a committee of experts earlier this week to remove Brazil from the list of nations considered compliant with the EU’s rules on the use of antimicrobials, which prohibit their use to stimulate growth or boost yields in livestock and other food‑producing animals.
Set to take effect from 3 September, the ban can be overturned if Brazilian producers can demonstrate full compliance with the EU’s antimicrobial regulations.
The intervention may prove controversial, given that it comes only two weeks after the EU’s trade deal with the Mercosur trading bloc – Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay – provisionally came into force on 1 May.
The deal has been deeply unpopular with farmers across the EU, who believe it could lead to domestic beef production being significantly undercut by South American imports.
Concerns have also been raised around the traceability and overall quality of South American beef, with this week’s developments likely to heighten those fears.
Speaking to Euronews, Brazil’s ambassador to the EU, Pedro Miguel da Costa e Silva, said that he was “surprised” by the move and has asked the European Commission to reverse its decision.
Commission spokeswoman Eva Hrncirova added: “To be included in the list of third countries authorised to export to the Union, Brazil must ensure compliance with the Union requirements on the use of antimicrobials for the entire lifetime of the animals that the exported products originate from.
“Once compliance is demonstrated, the EU will be able to authorise or resume the exports.”
