EU suspends Brazilian meat imports amid safety concerns

The European Union has announced it will suspend imports of Brazilian meat and other animal products starting Thursday, pending assurances from Brazil that it is adhering to EU animal health regulations. The European Commission stated that Brazil has not provided adequate guarantees that its exports comply with EU standards designed to prevent the misuse of antibiotics in livestock farming.

This suspension will affect commodities such as poultry, meat, eggs, honey, and casing. A Commission spokeswoman did not provide a timeline for when imports might resume. In May, Brazil was added to an EU list of countries failing to comply with rules on antibiotic use in animals. An audit of Brazil's poultry and honey sectors is set to conclude on Friday; positive findings and approval from EU member states could lead to the resumption of Brazilian poultry exports to the bloc within weeks, while beef imports may take longer.

The EU aims to demonstrate its vigilance following criticism from farmers and France, following the signing of a free trade agreement with Mercosur in January 2026. Brazil was the EU's second-largest supplier of beef in 2025, exporting over 92,000 tonnes worth more than 713 million euros. The EU restricts the use of antimicrobials to promote growth in livestock and limits the use of antibiotics reserved for human medicine to curb antimicrobial resistance.