EU bans Brazilian animal products worth $1.84 billion over antimicrobial controls | Ukraine news
A lucrative trade route has suddenly closed, while inspectors search for evidence that could determine when Brazilian suppliers return to European shelves.
The European Union’s ban on imports of animal products from Brazil, which took effect on September 3, 2026, applies to Brazilian exports with an estimated annual value of $1.84 billion. Beef and poultry meat were the sectors most affected by the restrictions.
Based on data from Reuters
The EU is demanding guarantees from Brazil that banned antimicrobial substances are not used in production. A swift resolution is unlikely in the near future, but a European inspection of Brazil’s poultry sector taking place this week gives the industry some reason for optimism.
Which exports are affected by the restrictions
According to Brazil’s Ministry of Agriculture, beef accounted for $1.05 billion of the affected exports in 2025, while chicken accounted for $763 million.
The European Union is an important buyer of higher-value beef cuts. Last year, the European market accounted for 5.86% of Brazil’s beef export revenues and around 8% of its chicken exports.
Major buyers of Brazilian beef include Italy, the Netherlands, Spain and Germany. The Netherlands, Spain and Germany remain key markets for Brazilian chicken exports.
Why the EU imposed the ban
The restrictions were announced in May and took effect on Thursday. The European side said that Brazil had not provided sufficient guarantees that antimicrobial substances banned in the EU were not being used in production.
Following the announcement of the ban, Brazil stepped up negotiations with European officials. However, the European Commission has not yet set a date for a possible lifting of the restrictions.
As part of the negotiations, EU inspectors have spent the past few days examining poultry and honey production systems in Brazil. The mission is due to conclude on September 4, but no immediate decisions are expected: the inspectors must first prepare their findings, a European Commission representative explained.
How Brazil’s industry is responding
Brazilian officials had expected a quicker resolution of the issue concerning poultry exports. Chickens have a production cycle of approximately 42 days, so in their view, compliance in this sector is easier to verify than in cattle farming, where animals generally need more than two years to reach slaughter weight.
The industry association ABPA, which represents poultry and pork producers, says that Brazil’s poultry sector fully complies with EU requirements. European authorities, however, believe that Brazil has not provided sufficient official guarantees.
The Brazilian Beef Industry and Exporters Association, Abiec, said that all of its member companies authorized to export to the EU had introduced a private antimicrobial control protocol. The protocol has been incorporated into Brazil’s system of official guarantees.
The European Union bans substances capable of promoting animal growth, as well as the use in livestock farming of antimicrobial drugs reserved for treating humans.
Experts note that the ban was not imposed because violations were found in Brazilian meat. It was prompted by the EU’s concerns about the insufficient effectiveness of Brazil’s control system.