Lula Asks Brussels to Save Brazil Chicken Exports
President Lula has asked the EU to restore Brazil to its export list for chicken and honey. A ban takes effect on 3 September 2026. An audit at the end of August could change the outcome. The post Lula Asks Brussels to Save Brazil Chicken Exports appeared first on The Rio Times .
Brazilian President Lula has requested the European Union (EU) to restore Brazil's eligibility for chicken and honey exports, according to a letter delivered to Brussels on 31 July 2026. The request stems from the impending EU ban on Brazilian poultry, set to take effect on 3 September 2026. This ban was implemented due to Brazil's non-compliance with rules regarding antimicrobial growth promoters, antibiotics used in healthy farm animals to accelerate growth.
The EU fears these practices contribute to drug-resistant bacteria. The EU removed Brazil from its list of authorized exporters for animal-origin products on 12 May 2026, with the delisting taking effect on 3 September 2026. Lula's letter to European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen seeks a provisional restoration of Brazil's eligibility until the EU completes its scheduled audit of Brazil's antimicrobial control system.
The audit is planned for the end of August 2026, and if results are positive, the EU may amend the list to include Brazil, particularly for poultry and honey exports. The audit could provide a pathway for restoring Brazil's trade privileges, though no restoration has been agreed upon yet. Brazil is a significant exporter of chicken, and the ban could cause substantial disruption to its exports.
Nonetheless, the ban is a sanitary and animal health measure under EU law, not a suspension of the Mercosur and EU trade agreement. Thus, the EU's trade agreement with Brazil remains formally intact. The outcome of the audit and subsequent EU decision will shape the future of Brazil's chicken exports to the EU, with the next crucial step being the audit results.
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