Brazilian beef banned from sale in the EU

BRAZILIAN beef will be banned from being sold in the EU from today because of concerns about its safety.

However, the blanket ban is likely to be temporary.

The decision follows a campaign by the Irish Farmers Association, which had issued its own report on the laxity of rules in Brazil following several visits to the country.

The announcement, which marks a turnaround by the EU Commission, was widely welcomed by farmers’ organisations, MEPs and the Government yesterday.

The ban came as a surprise as the commission was expected just to limit the imports to 300 farms which had been inspected and for which there were sufficient guarantees.

However, instead of sending the list of safe farms, the Brazilian authorities deluged the commission with a list of more than 2,500 farms a few days ago which they claimed met the EU’s safety standards.

As a result, Health Commissioner Markos Kyprianou agreed to the complete ban until his officials work through the list and inspect farms. Those that meet the standards will be put on a positive list and will be allowed to sell their beef in the EU.

Currently there is no timeline for the ban.

“This will be a lengthy process and there is no specific time frame — it will depend on a range of issues,” said Mr Kyprianou.

He said they were surprised to receive such a long list. “Based on our assessment of the capacity and capabilities of the Brazilian, system we are concerned about whether all these have been individually inspected and certified.”

Fine Gael MEP Jim Higgins said it still does not represent a solution to the Brazilian beef problem. The EU Health Commissioner scoffed at the IFA’s findings initially until his own food and veterinary officials confirmed their findings following an inspection.

“I am firmly of the belief that the total ban should stay in place until such time as the EU has its own permanent Food and Veterinary office in Brazil to carry out regular farm inspections to ensure the same high standards apply to Brazilian farmers as to EU farmers.”

Peter Power, spokesman for Trade Commissioner Peter Mandelson, said exporters to the EU have to meet certain standards and as of now Brazil cannot guarantee these. “As a result, the ball is firmly in their court.”

He went on to express the view of many in Brussels that the IFA, and in particular their EU representative Michael Treacy, has mounted a successful campaign to bring the issue to light.

IFA president Padraig Walshe said their determined two-year campaign had highlighted the failure of Brazil to meet EU standards.

He said: “Brazil had failed on foot and mouth disease controls, movement and traceability, border controls and animal health and food safety issues.”

ICSA president Malcolm Thompson said the hard-fought campaign was not over as the ban must be kept in place until Brazil meets the full safety standards required from every EU farmer who supplies the market.