The EU plans to send auditors to verify compliance with its new sanitary requirements before considering a reopening, but no date has yet been set for the inspection.
The European bloc has informed the Brazilian government that it will conduct an on-site audit of the beef supply chain before considering the resumption of imports, which have been suspended since September 3. However, no date has yet been established for the inspection.
The situation for beef is more complex than for poultry and honey, sectors that received a positive assessment in a recent audit. For cattle, the EU requires proof that each animal complied with the required sanitary standards throughout the entire period from birth to slaughter, significantly increasing the traceability challenge.
The Brazilian government submitted a specific protocol for the European market that includes visits to farms, verification of management plans, and inspections of cattle herds.
According to ABIEC, all producers authorized to export to the EU have joined the protocol. New responsibilities were also established for meatpacking plants, including controls on the origin of cattle, recordkeeping, and the blocking of lots when a loss of eligibility is detected.
Nevertheless, there is no official timeframe for reopening the market, and sources familiar with the negotiations believe the beef suspension could remain in place until at least the second half of 2027.
Source: Valor Econômico.
