Brussels (Brussels Morning Newspaper) – The European Union has resumed importing Brazilian poultry, following a pause caused by an avian flu outbreak in Rio Grande do Sul that affected the country’s exports, Euronews reported.
Why did the EU suspend Brazilian poultry imports initially?When has the EU imposed similar poultry bans before?
The European Commission has started gradually easing temporary import restrictions on poultry products from Brazil, an EU spokesperson confirmed. Brazil has not registered any new cases since mid-May 2025.
“Providing the epidemiological status remains stable, the second step, as from the 2 October, will be the lifting of restrictions on the state of Rio Grande do Sul (except the 10 km radius around the outbreak which will be finally re-opened by 16th October),”
The spokesperson also said.
Why did the EU suspend Brazilian poultry imports initially?
In May 2025, Brazil informed the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH) that it had ceased its ‘free of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI)’ status after bird flu was detected on a commercial farm in Montenegro, Rio Grande do Sul.
Without this status, Brazilian authorities could not issue the necessary animal health certificates for exports to the European Union. Ultimately, the European Commission imposed temporary restrictions on Brazilian poultry imports.
The suspension automatically made imports of poultry and poultry products from all regions of Brazil ineligible under EU rules, which require countries to be HPAI-free to export poultry. This means the EU didn’t have to impose a specific ban on Brazilian poultry.
When has the EU imposed similar poultry bans before?
The EU has imposed bans on poultry imports from various countries in response to outbreaks of viruses and other animal health concerns in the past.
For instance, on January 23, 2004, the EU Commission suspended the import of poultry and poultry products from Thailand, after Thai authorities confirmed the outbreak of avian influenza. The ban covered fresh meat of poultry, ratites, wild and farmed feathered game, poultry meat preparations and products, and raw materials for pet food containing those meats.
Moreover, the EU has also imposed restrictions on poultry product imports from Argentina linked to HPAI risks, allowing only poultry products that have undergone specific risk-mitigating treatments to enter the EU market.
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