Brazil Weighs Reciprocal Measures as EU Animal-Product Restrictions Begin

European Union restrictions on Brazilian animal-protein products took effect September 3 under the bloc’s antimicrobial rules. Brazil’s agriculture and foreign ministries said documentation had been submitted for poultry, fish, beef, eggs and honey, while an EU-requested audit of poultry and honey chains runs from August 24 through September 4. The European Commission said Brazil is not currently on its compliance list because required guarantees are incomplete, including for beef. Brazil said the restrictions could alter concessions negotiated in the Mercosur-EU agreement and may invoke national reciprocity provisions, agreement mechanisms or multilateral trade remedies if talks do not yield a timely solution.