Brazil hits back at EU meat ban, warns of reciprocal measures

Brazil's Foreign Affairs and Agriculture ministries criticized the European Union's suspension of Brazilian animal product imports and threatened reciprocal measures. The EU restrictions took effect Thursday, September 3, 2026, covering beef, chicken, eggs, honey, and tripe, based on an EU antimicrobial regulation. Brazil stated it reserves the right to use available instruments, including reciprocity measures, if talks fail to produce a satisfactory solution. The government expects a "rapid, objective, transparent, and scientifically based" resolution immune to protectionist pressures, noting it has engaged intensively with European authorities since the EU's May 12 decision. An EU audit of Brazilian poultry and honey chains, which began August 24, was set to conclude Friday. Separately, Mercosur foreign ministers failed to agree on dividing a 99,000-ton annual beef quota for the EU, with Paraguay seeking equal 25% shares while Brazil, Argentina, and Uruguay prefer proportional division based on export history.