Meatpackers expect Brazil-EU export deal before deadline

Brazil’s meatpacking industry is confident that negotiations between the government and the European Union will result in the country being reinstated on the bloc’s list of approved exporters of meat and meat products before September, when a ban tied to the use of antimicrobials is set to take effect.

The industry is betting on progress in technical talks based on a private-sector protocol designed to segregate cattle that have never been treated with antimicrobials. It also expects European authorities to accept a transition period to allow the supply chain to fully comply with the new rules. The involvement of President Lula is also expected to give momentum to the negotiations.

Renato Costa, CEO of Friboi and chairman of the Brazilian Beef Exporters Association (Abiec), acknowledged on Thursday (18) that both the livestock industry and the federal government had shown “passivity,” given that the European regulation on antimicrobials is not new. He also said the situation requires greater involvement from pharmaceutical companies to provide alternatives to the antimicrobials banned by the EU.

“We’re confident. The issue had to be elevated politically to see if that would speed things up [the negotiations]. President Lula, at the G7, presented not only our request. There is also the work being done by the Ministry of Agriculture to convince the European community to accept the protocol,” Costa told reporters on the sidelines of the International Agribusiness Forum (Fiap).

Costa said Brazil’s recent recognition as free of foot-and-mouth disease without vaccination, along with other advances in animal health, could strengthen the country’s case.

“I believe there’s still time to recover. The ideal outcome would be to return to the approved list, present the protocol, and request a transition period,” he said.

The transition period would allow time to implement the protocol and certify that cattle have not been exposed to antimicrobials throughout their entire production cycle, which spans about 30 months from birth to slaughter. Brazil will not have that level of traceability in place by September.

Last week, Abiec and the Brazilian Animal Protein Association (ABPA) asked the government to expand the ban on antimicrobial products. The industry has not yet received a response.

Costa said the proposal, which has been criticized by cattle ranchers and animal health companies, was intended as a wake-up call in response to the lack of action on the issue. It also reflects the industry’s concern about potentially losing a market that pays higher prices than many other export destinations.

“Up to that point, we had seen very little movement,” he said.

One of the main criticisms from cattle producers is the limited availability in Brazil of alternatives to the antimicrobials currently used in animal feed and veterinary treatments. Costa said such alternatives are already available in neighboring competitor countries, including Uruguay and Argentina, and could also be supplied to Brazilian producers.

“To be honest, there was a certain degree of passivity on everyone’s part,” Costa said.

The Friboi executive noted that about 1,200 Brazilian farms are currently authorized to export to the EU. They are included in the Traces list, which complies with the bloc’s traceability requirements but not with the new rules governing the use of antimicrobials and growth promoters.

“The European Union has prohibited these products since the early 2000s. Compliance has been mandatory for all European producers since 2022, and the rules are now being extended to third countries that want to export to the bloc,” said Damian Lluna, adviser to the European Union Delegation to Brazil.

The announcement of a dialogue mechanism with the Brazilian government following President Lula’s intervention “signals a clear commitment on the European side to work with Brazil to reverse the situation,” he said.

Brazil’s beef exports to the EU totaled $1 billion and 128,000 tonnes in 2025, accounting for 3.5% of the country’s total beef exports. Because the EU imports higher-value cuts, a potential market closure could hurt profit margins, although export volumes could be redirected to other destinations, according to the Friboi CEO.

The reporter traveled at the invitation of JBS.

Source: Valor International

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