EU resumes pre-listing for Brazilian poultry exports

The European Union has resumed acceptance of the pre-listing system for Brazilian poultry exports, including chicken, turkey, and duck. The announcement was made by Brazil’s Agriculture Minister, Carlos Fávaro, who is currently on a mission in Indonesia.

According to the Brazilian Association of Animal Protein (ABPA), the measure represents international recognition of Brazil’s inspection system and is expected to increase the number of plants authorized to export to the EU in the coming months.

The reinstatement of pre-listing was confirmed by European Commissioner Christophe Hansen, who is in Brazil and attending meetings in São Paulo alongside the Agriculture Ministry’s Secretary of Trade and International Relations, Luis Rua.

The pre-listing model had been suspended in 2018 following Operation Weak Flesh, which investigated irregularities at Brazilian meatpackers. ABPA said the reinstatement marks a new phase in trade and sanitary relations between Brazil and the EU.

“The return of pre-listing for poultry meat demonstrates Europe’s confidence in Brazil’s system and opens a new chapter in the relationship between the parties,” said Luis Rua.

Under this approval system, the EU recognizes the equivalence of Brazil’s sanitary inspection framework, reducing bureaucracy and facilitating export flows, since Brazil can nominate which plants are eligible to export poultry to the EU without requiring plant-by-plant authorization from European authorities.

Ricardo Santin, president of ABPA, said the measure reflects renewed confidence in the strength and reliability of Brazil’s inspection and sanitary control system. “With the reinstatement, Brazil once again has the autonomy to nominate and accredit exporting plants that fully comply with European requirements, speeding up processes and improving predictability in relations with the European Union,” he said in a statement.

Currently, around 30 Brazilian poultry plants are authorized to export chicken to the European bloc, according to ABPA. With the return of pre-listing, that number is expected to gradually increase in the coming months, allowing new agribusinesses and cooperatives to gain access to a high-value market.

The European Union is one of the main destinations for Brazilian chicken exports. Before pre-listing was suspended in 2018, Brazil exported more than 500,000 tonnes per year to the bloc. In 2024, exports totaled 231,900 tonnes, and between January and September 2025, the accumulated volume reached 137,200 tonnes, according to ABPA data.

The bloc was also one of the largest destinations for Brazilian turkey meat, importing more than 50,000 tonnes per year before the suspension. The EU also imports Brazilian duck meat.

Source: Globo Rural

Sharing is caring!