The Brazilian government stated that it may activate the Reciprocity Law and mechanisms provided for in the agreement between Mercosur and the European Union after the European bloc suspended imports of Brazilian meat. In a joint statement, the Ministries of Agriculture and Foreign Affairs stated that they received the measure with "indignation". The statement says that Brazil reserves the right to use appropriate instruments to ensure balanced trade conditions, including reciprocity measures provided for in the national legal system and relevant mechanisms provided for in the Mercosur-European Union Agreement and the multilateral trading system.
The European Union informed on Monday that imports of beef and poultry from Brazil would be suspended on Thursday. The European bloc was awaiting Brazilian guarantees regarding compliance with established sanitary standards.
Brazil was rejected by the European Commission for not having presented sufficient information proving compliance with the sanitary standards required by the bloc. The decision represents a significant embargo for the Brazilian livestock sector, one of the world's main exporters of beef and chicken.
