Norway halts Brazilian meat imports over EU-inspired animal welfare rules

Norway will cease importing Brazilian meat from 3 September, aligning with new EU guidelines on antimicrobial use, impacting a key market for Brazilian exporters and signalling broader trade challenges amid evolving European standards.

Norway will stop importing Brazilian meat and meat products from 3 September, aligning itself with new European Union rules on animal-origin goods, according to Canal Rural. The move reflects concern over incomplete information on antimicrobial use in Brazilian production, and could prompt other buyers to review their own rules.

For Brazilian exporters, the timing is awkward. Canal Rural said Norway bought 279 tonnes of beef from Brazil in 2022, alongside smaller volumes of chicken, fish and eggs, generating about $45m in revenue. World Bank trade data for 2023 shows Brazil still supplied a modest but material share of Norway’s beef imports, including both chilled and frozen boneless cuts.

Certificates issued up to 2 September will remain valid, but documents issued after that date will not be accepted for entry into Norway. The Brazilian agriculture ministry is expected to respond, with the main concern centred on whether the restriction stays confined to Norway or becomes a broader signal for European buyers.

Separately, a report cited by Mixvale said the EU has formalised wider restrictions on Brazilian meat shipments from the same date, underlining the pressure now facing exporters to provide the documentation demanded by European regulators.