The European Commission confirmed that Brazil will not be authorised to export poultry or other animal-origin products to the EU from 3 September 2026, following a review of compliance with antimicrobial-use rules.
The move forms part of Brussels’ wider effort to enforce so-called “mirror measures”, requiring overseas suppliers to meet the same animal medicine standards already imposed on European farmers.
In its official announcement, the Commission said: “The countries on the list have proven their compliance with the EU restrictions on antimicrobial use in food-producing animals.” Brazil’s omission from that list means exports of poultry, beef, eggs and other covered products will effectively be halted unless the country can demonstrate compliance.
European and UK producers have repeatedly argued that imported poultry should be held to equivalent production standards, particularly on antibiotic stewardship, where domestic producers have spent years reducing usage and tightening veterinary oversight.
The European Commission underlined that the issue is specifically linked to antimicrobial policy, stating: “Under EU rules, the use of antimicrobials in livestock for growth or yield purposes is not allowed, nor can animals be treated with antimicrobials reserved for human infections.”
Brazil remains one of the world’s largest poultry exporters, and the European Commission has made clear that exports could resume if compliance is demonstrated.
Brussels described antimicrobial resistance as “one of the biggest public health threats of our time”, adding that stricter import controls are intended to ensure that overseas producers operate under comparable standards to European farms.