EU suspends Brazilian animal-product imports over antimicrobial concerns

Brazil’s 2025 beef shipments to the EU totaled about $1 billion

Brazilian exporters of meat, poultry, eggs, honey and other animal products were scrambling Thursday after a deadline passed for suspending imports from the European Union. The EU announced the suspension Tuesday, citing concerns about the use of antibiotics and antimicrobial drugs in livestock. The announcement covered meat, poultry, eggs, honey and other animal products.

The EU’s action followed its May announcement that Brazil would be removed from the list of countries authorized to export certain animal products. The bloc said Brazil had not provided sufficient guarantees that its livestock production met EU standards.

The standards at issue address antibiotic growth promoters and other restricted drugs. The bloc’s stated explanation was that the guarantees did not sufficiently show that Brazilian livestock production met those requirements.

Brazil is the world’s largest beef exporter. Government figures show that Brazil shipped about 108,000 tons of beef to the EU in 2025.

Government figures valued those shipments at about $1 billion. The EU announcement named poultry, eggs, honey and other animal products alongside meat.

The Brazilian Association of Meat Exporting Industries, or ABIEC, provides technical support to the government in negotiations with the EU. ABIEC described the suspension as concerning for local producers.

ABIEC also said the EU’s move failed to recognize what it described as the quality of Brazilian beef exports. The association said Brazilian beef exports go to 170 countries.

The EU’s account centered on insufficient guarantees about Brazilian livestock production and its standards against antibiotic growth promoters and other restricted drugs. ABIEC’s statement instead said the move was concerning for local producers and pointed to the quality of Brazilian beef exports.

The reported sequence began with the EU’s May announcement of the planned removal, followed by Tuesday’s suspension announcement and Thursday’s deadline. Government figures put the 2025 beef shipments at about 108,000 tons worth about $1 billion.