The United Kingdom may restrict imports of animal proteins from Brazil due to new requirements related to the use of antimicrobials in animal production. Last week, the British Ministry of Agriculture sent a letter to the Brazilian authorities responsible for plants under federal inspection, reinforcing that the procedures adopted to comply with European Union legislation will also apply to the British market. The requirements cover the sanitary certification of poultry meat, beef, horse meat, casings, fish, honey, eggs, and egg products destined for the United Kingdom. This communication comes after the European Union updated its sanitary regulations and prohibited the import of certain animal proteins produced using antimicrobials not permitted by European legislation. The new rules will come into effect on September 3, 2026. “From September 3, 2026, inclusive, only products considered eligible for the requirements related to the use of antimicrobials foreseen in European legislation may be certified for the European Union and the United Kingdom. This date refers to the issuance of the international sanitary certification at the origin, regardless of the date of arrival of the consignment in the country of destination,” states the document initially obtained by Globo Rural. With this decision, part of Brazilian protein exports to the United Kingdom may be affected if they do not meet the new sanitary criteria required by the Europeans. The Brazilian government is working to try to reverse the measure with the European Union, but faces challenges. The technical committee responsible for analyzing the issue is scheduled to meet only in October, after the restrictions come into effect. Given this timeline, Brazilian authorities are seeking to hold an extraordinary meeting of the committee before September, in an attempt to present technical arguments and avoid impacts on the sector's exports.
This text was translated by machine from Brazilian Portuguese.