The EU has banned meat imports from Brazil starting 3 September due to antimicrobial use in animals, despite the recent EU-Mercosur trade agreement, citing food safety standards and a level playing field for EU farmers.
The EU has begun provisional application of its trade deal with Mercosur, eliminating tariffs on most goods. Despite the start, the agreement faces a lengthy legal review by the EU's top court and requires further ratification by member states.
The EU-Mercosur trade agreement entered provisional force on Friday after more than 25 years of negotiations, creating a free-trade zone spanning over 700 million people. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen pushed ahead with provisional application despite a legal challenge before the Court of Justice, effectively bypassing a parliamentary vote. The deal eliminates tariffs on the majority of trade between the EU and Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay. France and EU farmers opposed the agreement, with farmers protesting with tractors ahead of the signing.
A letter circulating in the European Parliament warns that the EU-Mercosur Trade Agreement's quota system could be exploited by large South American agricultural firms, leading to market concentration, especially concerning Brazilian giants like JBS.
