September 3, 2007

EU to re-evaluate Brazilian beef imports by yearend

The European Commission will assess restrictions on Brazilian beef imports and make the final conclusion by the end of the year, an EU spokesman said Friday (August 31).

EU currently bans beef imports from some Brazilian states due to the presence of foot-and-mouth-disease.

For the Brazilians to export beef to the EU, said Philip Tod, spokesman for EU Health Commissioner Markos Kyprianou said they will "reassess the measures of Brazilians to address the remaining deficiencies¡­and will reconsider authorization if corrections haven't been done.

The Commission requires cattle imports disease-free and located in a foot-and-mouth-free state 90 days prior to slaughter if the meat is to be exported to the EU. The slaughter must be carried out in an abattoir approved by the EU, and only matured and de-boned meat is allowed for export.

However, a group of EU lawmakers is pushing the EU executive to ban all Brazilian beef imports until concerns over food safety are fully addressed.

The lawmakers - all from Ireland or Britain, two major beef-consuming countries - say farmers' mission from Ireland uncovered evidence in Brazil that livestock producers fail to tag and trace animals moving freely across state borders, which they said poses health concerns.

But the Commission ignored the report, saying the mission visited only farms in states that are currently banned from exporting beef to the EU. It said the vast majority of cattle in Brazil are not eligible for EU exports and not subject to its export requirements.