Brazil adopts new rules for meat exports to the European Union

The Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock has determined new control procedures for the certification of products of animal origin destined for the European Union, in response to the requirements of the European bloc regarding the use of antimicrobials in livestock production.

The guidelines are contained in Circular Letter No. 24/2026/CGCOA/DIPOA/SDA/MAPA, sent to official inspection services and establishments authorized to export. The document establishes that, from September 3, 2026, only products that demonstrate compliance with European rules related to the use of antimicrobials will be able to receive international health certification.

According to the new guidelines, slaughterhouses and other exporting establishments must maintain auditable controls capable of proving the eligibility of animals, raw materials and inputs used in production.

Among the requirements are traceability records, documentation that proves the conformity of the products, segregation mechanisms between eligible and ineligible batches for export and procedures for blocking cargo that loses this condition. It will be up to the Official Service to verify the implementation and effectiveness of these controls during audits.

The changes result from the entry into force of Delegated Regulation (EU) 2023/905 and Implementing Regulation (EU) 2022/1255, which prohibit the export to the European market of animals and products from systems that use antimicrobials to promote growth or medicines classified as critical for human medicine. The Ministry's own letter cites these standards as the basis for the new requirements.

Different impacts between production chains
Although the new rules cover meat, eggs, honey, fish, aquaculture and other products of animal origin, the impact tends to be different between production chains.

For poultry, eggs and aquaculture, MAPA determines that establishments maintain documented qualification and monitoring programs for animal feed manufacturers used in batches destined for the European Union, in addition to proof that these suppliers are registered with the ministry.

In poultry integrations, health bulletins and records of feeding programs become part of the documents subject to official inspection.

In the case of cattle farming, experts believe that adaptation is more complex due to the long production cycle. Certification will require documentation capable of demonstrating that the animal remained in compliance with European rules throughout its productive life, which requires robust traceability systems from the breeding phase to slaughter.

Change increases exporters' responsibility
The new procedure also changes the way inspection will be conducted. Instead of focusing verification only on the final stage of processing, the Official Service must assess whether the self-control programs implemented by companies are sufficient to guarantee the maintenance of the health eligibility of products destined for the European market. The letter determines that the adequacy, implementation and effectiveness of these controls be verified.

In addition, the document clarifies that the procedures will also be used to subsidize exports to the United Kingdom as long as equivalent requirements related to the use of antimicrobials remain in force, although, at this time, there are no new health restrictions imposed by the British authorities.

International context
The new guidelines are part of the Brazilian response to the regulatory changes adopted by the European Union. In May, the bloc updated its list of countries able to provide guarantees regarding the control of antimicrobials in animal production, setting a deadline of September for adapting the certification systems of exporting countries.

At the same time, the Brazilian government had already published Ordinance SDA No. 1,617/2026, which banned the use of antimicrobials in the country as additives to improve animal performance, a measure considered part of the alignment of national legislation with international requirements to combat antimicrobial resistance.

According to MAPA, the issuance of international health certificates from September 3rd will be subject to proof that the products fully meet the requirements set out in European legislation.

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Source: CNN