In a recent report on the import ban on Brazilian meat, the international news platform Euronews cited the views of our project manager, Sabrina Gurtner, on several occasions. It also referenced our joint research with the Eurogroup for Animals.

The article focuses on the new EU import ban on Brazilian meat due to the use of antimicrobials. However, Sabrina Gurtner makes it clear to Euronews that the real cause runs deeper: problematic farming systems, high stress levels for the animals, and massive abuses in industrial cattle farming.

Euronews quotes Sabrina Gurtner as stating that the widespread use of antimicrobials is often a direct consequence of intensive farming systems. More animal-friendly conditions with less stress and better living standards could significantly reduce the need for such medications.

Furthermore, the report references our investigative research in the Mercosur countries. The documented footage reveals systematic abuses in large South American feedlots and free-range fattening facilities. There, thousands of animals are kept under conditions that would not be permissible under EU law, explains Sabrina Gurtner to the journalist.

The article thus addresses key criticisms that we and our partner organizations have long raised regarding the EU-Mercosur Agreement: While Europe sets high animal welfare standards, meat imports from systems that do not meet these standards continue to enter the European market.

Read the full article here.