Commissioner Várhelyi, in a written answer on 10 July 2026, defended the EU's multi-layered import control system and ruled out suspending imports from Mercosur countries after salmonella was detected in Brazilian poultry, insisting that EU food safety rules remain the strictest in the world.
The answer was given to a question by Jadwiga Wiśniewska (ECR), who cited a Greek batch of frozen poultry from Brazil where 80% of samples tested positive for salmonella, and warned that effective control of millions of tonnes of imported food is impossible due to inadequate veterinary services. Wiśniewska asked whether the Commission would immediately suspend imports from establishments where contamination is detected and remove them from the list under Regulation (EU) 2021/405.
Commission audits in third countries, mandatory risk-based checks at EU border control posts, and additional controls by Member States at any stage. He noted that where specific risks are identified, the Commission can adopt intensified official controls or increased physical checks, and if necessary, impose import restrictions. However, he did not announce any new measures in response to the Brazilian poultry case, nor did he indicate a suspension of imports.
The Commissioner clarified that Regulation (EU) 2021/405 lists third countries, not individual establishments; lists of authorised establishments are drawn up by the exporting countries themselves. He reiterated that under the EU-Mercosur Agreement, products must comply with EU rules, and that the Commission is pursuing stronger alignment of production standards on animal welfare and pesticides, as outlined in the Vision for Agriculture and Food. A dedicated task force is in place to strengthen import controls.
The answer contains no concrete proposals, numerical targets, or deadlines. It reaffirms existing procedures and commitments without signalling any policy shift. Institutional follow-up is likely to focus on the work of the import control task force and ongoing negotiations on standards alignment under the Mercosur agreement.