Polish MEP Waldemar Buda (ECR) has raised concerns over consumer safety after reports that 80% of Brazilian frozen poultry batches imported into Greece tested positive for Salmonella. In a parliamentary question submitted on 8 May 2026, Buda challenges the European Commission's decision to reinstate a pre-listing system for Brazilian poultry exporters, which allows Brazil to designate eligible establishments without prior EU authorization. The move, he argues, risks undermining food safety standards and public health, particularly as the EU moves toward provisional implementation of the trade chapter of the EU-Mercosur Association Agreement.
Buda's question highlights a specific incident on 4 May 2026, when Greek media and veterinary services reported widespread Salmonella contamination in Brazilian poultry entering under a new quota. He notes that the Commission reinstated the pre-listing system in 2025 after negotiations with Brazil's agriculture ministry, despite having suspended it earlier following the 'Carne Fraca' scandal, which revealed falsified health certificates, corrupt inspectors, and unsafe meat entering the market. The MEP asks whether the Commission will now suspend or revoke those decisions, whether the Greek case invalidates the reinstatement, and which authorities are investigating.
The question targets a key cleavage between trade liberalization and consumer protection. On one hand, the pre-listing system reduces administrative burdens and facilitates trade with Mercosur, a bloc the EU seeks to deepen ties with. On the other, it shifts oversight from EU authorities to the exporting country, raising risks for food safety and public health. Buda's intervention pressures the Commission to prioritize consumer safety over trade facilitation, especially given Brazil's past regulatory failures.
Under EU rules, the Commission must respond within approximately six weeks. Its answer will signal whether it views the Salmonella outbreak as an isolated incident or a systemic flaw requiring stricter controls. The outcome could affect not only Brazilian poultry imports but also broader EU-Mercosur trade negotiations, as food safety standards remain a contentious issue for European farmers and consumer groups.