Italy Strengthens Import Controls and Cites Blocking of Brazilian Meat Shipments

Italy’s Minister of Agriculture, Francesco Lollobrigida, revealed on Thursday (June 4) that Italian authorities recently blocked shipments of meat originating from Brazil. According to the minister, the action demonstrates the effectiveness of the country’s sanitary and customs control mechanisms.

The episode was mentioned by Lollobrigida while commenting on the Mercosur-European Union agreement, which, in his view, represents a significant shift from the negotiation model initiated two decades ago.

Recent data released by Datamar’s data intelligence specialists shows that Brazil exported 863 TEUs of beef to Italy by sea between January and April 2026, up 10.1% year over year. The chart below provides an annual comparison:

Beef Exports to Italy | 2022 – 2026 | TEUs

Source: DataLiner (click here to request a demo)

During a question-and-answer session in the Chamber of Deputies, Lollobrigida stated that the current text includes protection mechanisms considered essential to European and Italian interests.

“Thanks to Italy’s commitment during the final phase of the negotiations, in addition to the inclusion of reciprocity clauses, robust safeguard clauses against market disruptions were agreed upon, along with a strengthened control system for goods entering the European Union,” he said.

The minister also highlighted the strengthening of inspection activities within Italy, citing checks on products arriving from China at the ports of Genoa and Salerno, as well as other operations that remain confidential.

Lollobrigida emphasized that the recent blocking of Brazilian meat shipments demonstrates that enforcement mechanisms are active and should be further expanded.

He also cited the new legislation aimed at protecting Italy’s agri-food system, approved on April 15, as one of the pillars of the country’s inspection strategy.

The law introduced new penalties and expanded enforcement tools, including the creation of the so-called “Agri-Food System Control Room,” which brings together security forces, inspection services, and customs authorities to strengthen efforts against irregularities in imports.

Source: Terra

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