Free trade: EU suspends Brazilian meat imports over antibiotic compliance

The European Union is stopping imports of Brazilian meat and other animal products after Brazil failed to provide enough evidence that it follows the bloc’s rules on antibiotic use in livestock farming.

The suspension will cover beef, poultry and honey, among other products. The European Commission said Brazil had not supplied sufficient guarantees that its exports comply with EU requirements. The commission is working with Brazilian authorities to address the issue, a spokeswoman told AFP.

Exports can resume once Brazil demonstrates compliance, but the commission gave no timetable. A review of poultry and honey is due to finish on Friday. If it produces a positive result and EU member states agree, poultry exports could return within weeks, according to the commission. Beef shipments may take longer because of longer production cycles.

EU rules prohibit antibiotics in livestock and poultry production when used to promote growth or simply increase output. They also prohibit treating animals with certain medicines reserved for human use. Brazil had already failed in May to provide enough evidence that it was meeting those requirements.

The dispute comes at a sensitive moment for EU-Brazil trade. The EU’s agreement with Mercosur, which includes Brazil, Argentina, Paraguay and Uruguay, provisionally entered into force in early May. South American meat imports have triggered particularly strong protests from farmers in France.

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The EU is working closely with the Brazilian authorities to ensure compliance with the requirements.