European Union keeps Brazil off the approved exporters list

On June 5, the European Commission published an updated regulation changing the conditions for the import of animals and animal products intended for human consumption into the bloc. Brazil remains off the list of countries considered compliant with the EU’s new requirements regarding the use of antimicrobials in animal production.

According to the regulation, the decision was made because the European Commission said it had not received sufficient information to ensure that Brazil would implement, by September 3, 2026, the measures required to comply with European legislation.

The rules prohibit the use of certain antibiotics considered critical for human health and restrict the use of antimicrobial drugs for growth promotion or productivity enhancement in food-producing animals.

The exclusion affects important categories of Brazilian exports to the European market, including cattle, equines, poultry, aquaculture products, honey, and animal casings. Until now, Brazil has been included on the list of countries authorized to export these products.

The measure is part of the European Union’s broader efforts to combat antimicrobial resistance, which is considered one of the major global public health threats. The bloc requires guarantees that practices banned within the EU are also not used in production destined for the European market.

The new regulation also expands the list of countries authorized to export certain products to the European Union. India, Indonesia, Kenya, Nigeria, Serbia, Tunisia, Tanzania, and Uganda were added after submitting documentation deemed sufficient by European authorities.

Despite Brazil’s removal from the list, the regulation does not constitute an immediate export ban. The new provisions will come into force on September 3, 2026. Until then, Brazilian and European authorities may continue negotiations and submit additional information to demonstrate compliance with the bloc’s sanitary requirements.

Negotiations continue

In recent weeks, Brazilian government representatives have intensified negotiations with Brussels in search of a solution. The main focus of discussions has been beef, although concerns also involve poultry, aquaculture products, and honey.

As part of this strategy, Brazil’s Ministry of Agriculture recently introduced a private certification protocol for cattle raised without antimicrobials. The system provides for monitoring animals from birth to slaughter to demonstrate that no prohibited medications under European legislation were used.

The Brazilian government also sought to negotiate a transition period that would initially require proof that the prohibited medicines had not been used only during the final months of the animals’ lives, gradually moving toward a fully traceable system. However, the proposal did not receive support from European authorities.

Source: CNN Brasil

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