Brazilian meat exports to EU to be suspended Thursday

The European Union will suspend imports of Brazilian meat and other animal products from Thursday, the European Commission said, pending assurances that Brazil is complying with the bloc's animal health rules.

The Commission said Brazil had not provided sufficient guarantees that its exports meet EU standards aimed at preventing the misuse of antibiotics in livestock farming. A Commission spokeswoman said Brazil would no longer be authorised to export food-producing animals and products of animal origin for human consumption to the EU.

The measure will affect products including poultry, meat, eggs, honey and casings. Brussels did not give a date for when imports might resume.

Brazil was put on an EU list in May of countries that do not keep to the bloc's rules on antibiotic use in animals. An audit of Brazil's poultry and honey sectors is due to conclude on Friday. The Commission said poultry exports could resume within weeks if the findings are positive and EU member states approve, while beef imports may take longer.

The Commission said the timeline would depend on how quickly Brazil can demonstrate compliance with EU requirements. It said exports would be able to resume once compliance is demonstrated.

Brazil was the EU's second-largest supplier of beef in 2025, exporting more than 92,000 tonnes worth over 713 million euros ($825 million). The bloc bans antimicrobials to promote growth in livestock and restricts the use of antibiotics reserved for human medicine, as part of efforts to curb antimicrobial resistance.

The suspension comes after criticism from farmers and from France over the EU's January 2026 free trade agreement with the Mercosur group of Argentina, Brazil, Uruguay and Paraguay.