The European Union has signaled that Brazilian sales of honey and poultry meat, halted as of September 3, could reopen in the near future. The message was conveyed on September 30 in Milwaukee, when European Commissioner for Trade and Economic Security, Maro\u0161 \u0160ef\u010dovi\u010d, spoke with Foreign Minister Mauro Vieira and Minister of Development, Industry, Trade and Services M\u00e1rcio Elias Rosa, on the sidelines of the G20 Trade Ministerial Meeting. According to a joint note from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Itamaraty) and the Ministry of Development, Industry, Trade and Services (MDIC), the European official highlighted the favorable outcome of a recent audit in the country and stated that shipments could resume shortly after bureaucratic steps are fulfilled.<\/p>\n
The definitive decision will be made by the European Commission’s Standing Committee on Plants, Animals, Food and Feed, whose technical meeting, scheduled for October 20 and 21, will formally address the subject. The Ministry of Agriculture requested the inclusion of the document produced by the audit on the committee’s agenda. In an opinion released in recent days, the European Commission considered the Brazilian production structure in the poultry and beekeeping sectors satisfactory and understood that the country is capable of meeting the bloc’s requirements regarding the use of antimicrobials, with auditors having verified, among other points, national controls that prevent the application of these substances to accelerate animal growth or increase productivity. The restriction, which also covers beef, pork, fish, eggs, and other items of animal origin, stems from Brazil’s removal from the list of nations in compliance with European rules on certain antimicrobials in livestock, as the bloc’s legislation allows these compounds in the treatment of infections but prohibits their use as growth stimulants.<\/p>\n
The Brazilian government is also seeking a procedure for beef, although the case is more complex, as sanitary verification requires tracking the animal from birth to slaughter, a tracking procedure that can extend for up to two years. On the same occasion, the officials discussed European limitations on steel purchases. According to the Brazilian government, the bloc is re-evaluating the allocation of quotas for steel products, which could open up an opportunity for the country, even though new stages of the process are only expected for 2027.<\/p>\n