Brasília – The Brazilian Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Supply intends to request a panel at the World Trade Organization (WTO) to review barriers put in place by the European Union on poultry from Brazil. Minister Blairo Maggi said studies in connection with the request are underway. On Wednesday (18) or Thursday (19), the EU may decide to blacklist Brazilian poultry manufacturing units, including nine of company BRF’s alone.
The issue will be discussed with president Michel Temer and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. WTO panels can take roughly three years to reach a conclusion. Maggi also said the plants disaccredited by the EU may be reaccredited in case they comply with EU requirements.
According to Maggi, the EU is attempting to enforce trade barriers which extrapolate sanitary criteria. “This is a trade-related issue. They are taking advantage of an internal investigation to push Brazil off the market,” he said. The studies which could lead to a WTO panel began being carried out prior to the EU’s decision.
The situation is a consequence of the third phase of Operação Carne Fraca (Operation Weak Flesh), which Brazilian Federal Police triggered in 2017 to look into allegations of fraud by government agricultural inspectors and corporate entities. Operação Trapaça (or Operation Wrongdoing), which began on March 5, targeted BRF. The conglomerate is suspected of defrauding lab analysis results concerning contamination by Salmonella pullorum bacterium.
Translated by Gabriel Pomerancblum
