The European Commission has confirmed that Brazil is to be removed from the list of countries authorised to export certain meat products, including beef, to the European Union from Thursday, September 3.
The decision is of significance to the Irish beef sector, including farmers across Roscommon and the wider Midlands-North-West constituency, amid ongoing concerns over competition from imported beef and differences in production and traceability standards.
Ciaran Mullooly MEP welcomed the decision following discussions with officials in the office of European Commissioner for Health and Animal Welfare Olivér Várhelyi.
There had been speculation in recent days that some individual Brazilian farms using tagged animals could retain access to European markets. However, Mr Mullooly said he had received confirmation from the Commissioner’s office that this would not be permitted under the new arrangements.
The Midlands-North-West MEP has been among those raising concerns at European and national level over Brazilian beef imports, particularly in relation to production, traceability and food-safety standards.
“For many months I have raised the health and food-safety concerns surrounding Brazilian meat entering the European food chain,” Mr Mullooly said.
He also referred to protests by farmers in Athlone earlier this year and said the issue had generated significant concern within the agricultural sector.
Mr Mullooly highlighted concerns previously raised by veterinary and public-health expert Professor Patrick Wall regarding differences between European and Brazilian production and traceability systems.
“Irish and European farmers operate under some of the strictest food-safety, animal-health, traceability and environmental standards in the world,” he said.
“It is completely unacceptable to expect them to compete against imported products that cannot demonstrate compliance with equivalent standards.”
Mr Mullooly said the position in Northern Ireland would now require close attention, as the United Kingdom has not adopted the same approach as the European Union in relation to Brazilian beef.
“We must now be extremely vigilant about Brazilian beef entering Northern Ireland and the potential implications for farmers, processors and cross-border trade,” he said.
He added that Northern Ireland farmers should not be placed at a competitive disadvantage and said he is seeking a meeting with farming representatives there to discuss the potential implications for agriculture and cross-border trade.
Mr Mullooly said the Commission’s decision also raised wider questions around food standards in international trade agreements, including the EU-Mercosur agreement.
“The health and safety of our consumers must always take precedence over any trade agreement,” he said.
“Our position remains very clear: if European farmers are required to meet the highest standards in the world, then imports entering our market must meet those same standards.”
