Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine Martin Heydon has said that food safety standards are non-negotiable in Europe.

The comments follow the publication by the European Commission of an updated list of 'third countries' authorised to export food-producing animals and animal products to the EU.

The commission said the countries that on the list have proven their compliance with the EU restrictions on antimicrobial use in food-producing animals.

The list includes over 90 countries, including the Mercosur countries of Argentina, Uruguay, Paraguay, but not Brazil.

The rules on imports will apply from September 3, 2026, meaning that imports from Brazil may not be accepted from that date.

However, some politicians and farm organisations said that a ban on Brazilian beef exports to the EU should come into force immediately.

Minister Heydon told Agriland that he had previously highlighted the importance of food safety standards with European Commissioner for Health and Animal Welfare Oliver Varhelyi.

"We need confidence for European consumers and for European food producers that this is a level playing field.

"This is a process that involves member states like our own advocating for that, to make that happen, and that happens over a period of time.

"There's a process to be gone through for that, but it is something that is right and is worth it," he said.

Brazil

The Brazilian government said it was "surprised" to hear that Brazil had been removed from the list of countries authorised to export animal products for human consumption to the EU.

"It is worth noting that, at the moment, Brazilian exports of animal products continue normally.

"The Brazilian government will promptly take all necessary measures to reverse this decision, return to the list of authorised countries, and guarantee the flow of sales of these products to the European market, to which it has exported for 40 years," the government said in a statement.

Brazil is the single largest supplier of agricultural products to the EU, followed closely by the United Kingdom and Ukraine.

On April 27, Brazil's Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock (Mapa) published a regulation establishing new rules for the use of antimicrobials in animal production.

Mapa said the regulation prohibits the importation, manufacture, marketing, and use of performance-enhancing additives containing antimicrobials classified as important for human or veterinary medicine in the south American country.

The ministry said products manufactured or imported before the entry into force of this regulation may be sold and used for up to 180 days, including those in transit or undergoing customs clearance.