EU bans Brazilian meat imports over antimicrobial growth promoters

The European Union’s expert committee has decided to prohibit the import of beef from Brazil, effective 3 September. The ban is based on the use of antimicrobial growth‑promoting drugs in Brazilian livestock, which the EU says could foster antibiotic‑resistant bacteria and pose a public‑health risk. The decision also cites Brazil’s inability to provide the traceability and compliance documentation required by the EU’s 2019 veterinary standards.

The restriction comes just weeks after the EU‑Mercosur free‑trade agreement entered into provisional force on 1 May, a deal that was expected to boost Brazilian meat exports to Europe. Brazil has indicated it will take “all necessary measures” to reverse the ban, including legislative changes and stricter controls to eliminate growth‑promoting antimicrobials from its production chain. However, meeting the EU’s requirements may be challenging, as the animals would need to be raised without such drugs for a considerable period before their meat can qualify for export.

The move highlights broader concerns about antimicrobial resistance, which the World Health Organization estimates caused 1.27 million deaths worldwide in 2019. Brazil had recently prohibited five antimicrobials for domestic consumption, but those restrictions did not apply to livestock destined for export.