Brazil vows to reverse EU ban on Brazilian meat and animal products

The Brazilian government said on Tuesday, May 12, that it was “surprised” by the European Union’s decision to remove Brazil from the list of countries authorized to export animal-origin products for human consumption to the bloc as of September this year.

The statement was made in a joint note issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock, and the Ministry of Development, Industry, Trade and Services.

The note said Brazil will take “all necessary measures” to reverse the decision and ensure sales to the European market continue.

“The Government of Brazil will promptly take all necessary measures to reverse this decision, return to the list of authorized countries and ensure the flow of sales of these products to the European market,” the statement said.

Meeting scheduled

The government said the head of Brazil’s delegation to the European Union already has a meeting scheduled for Wednesday, May 13, with European sanitary authorities.

The purpose of the meeting is to seek clarification on the reasons behind Brazil’s removal from the list of authorized exporters.

The European Union justified the decision based on rules related to controls on the use of antimicrobials in livestock.

Exports continue

According to the statement, the decision followed a vote by the European Commission’s Standing Committee on Plants, Animals, Food and Feed, which is responsible for updating the list of countries eligible to export animal-origin products to the European Union.

The government emphasized that, despite the decision, Brazilian exports are currently continuing as normal and that the European measure is only expected to take effect on September 3, 2026.

The following analysis highlights monthly beef exports bound for the European Union over the last three years, based on Datamar’s container throughput data:

Beef Exports to the EU | Jan 2023 – Mar 2026 | TEUs

Source: DataLiner (click here to request a demo)

Sanitary controls

In the official note, the Brazilian government defended the quality of the country’s sanitary control system and highlighted Brazil’s track record in agricultural exports.

According to the statement, Brazil has a “robust sanitary system of internationally recognized quality” and is currently the world’s largest exporter of animal protein.

The government also noted that Brazil has supplied agricultural products to the European market for about 40 years.

Source: Agência Brasil

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