The EU Commission will reinstate a full ban on Brazilian beef imports, after the USDA identified a third case in the last week of Brazilian beef failing to meet acceptable food safety standards, said Irish Farmers Association (IFA) president John Bryan.

 

The IFA leader said confirmation that Brazil's largest exporter had been stopped by the US authorities from exporting beef because it breached permitted levels of animal medicine residues leaves the EU Commission with no choice but to put a full ban back in place.

 

He called on the EU's Directorate General for Health and Consumers (DG Sanco) to instigate a thorough review of the practices surrounding cattle production in Brazil.

 

Meanwhile, the Mercosur trade talks will face serious difficulties as opposition from member states increases and the process is given less priority under the incoming Belgian presidency, according to sources.

 

While the Commission has upped the pace in bilateral negotiations with several trading blocks over the past month, Brussels insiders point out that the Mercosur negotiations are at a very early stage.

 

Talks between the EU and Mercosur - Brazil, Argentina, Uruguay and Paraguay - are scheduled to resume in July.

 

EU heads of state and those from Mercosur and other Latin American countries, met in Madrid last week but analysts are sceptical about a deal being finalised quickly.

 

Belgium takes over the EU presidency from Spain on July 1 and is not expected to drive the talks agenda as aggressively as its predecessor.

 

However, the push for bilateral trade agreements was intensified at last week's Madrid summit, with the EU holding talks with the Caribbean trading group CARIFORUM, and Peru and Colombia.

 

Under a trade deal with Central American states, 10,000 tonnes of boneless beef is to be accepted into the EU.