The EU bans imports of Brazilian meat

Less than two weeks after the European Union provisionally implemented its free trade deal with Mercosur, Brussels delivered an unwelcome housewarming gift to its largest South American partner. An EU committee of member-state experts voted to strike Brazil from the list of countries authorized to export several animal products to the bloc, citing insufficient guarantees on antimicrobial use in livestock.

The ban takes effect on September 3. Eva Hrncirova, a spokesperson for the European Commission, told Euronews that Brazil will no longer be able to export commodities such as bovine and equine meat, poultry, eggs, aquaculture, honey and casings to the EU.