Export restrictions threaten to blunt early EU-Mercosur gains
MANAUS, Brazil — Brazil still does not know whether beef and poultry exports to the EU can continue after September, as Brussels assesses additional documentation on antimicrobial controls.
Speaking on the sidelines of Exporta Mais Brasil Amazônia – a trade event organised by export promotion agency ApexBrasil – sources from Brazil’s Agriculture Ministry said they had sent Brussels “robust technical documentation” showing compliance with EU restrictions on antimicrobial use in animals.
In May, the European Commission left Brazil off an updated list of countries deemed to comply with EU restrictions on antimicrobials in livestock. EU rules prohibit certain antimicrobials from being used to promote animal growth or increase production.
The move could disrupt agricultural trade. Brazil is a supplier of beef and poultry to the EU, while Europe is Brazil’s second-largest export market after China.
