Mullooly raises alarm for farmers as EU confirms contaminated beef breach

The European Commission has admitted to a “strategically organised breach” in the EU food system after hormone-contaminated beef from Brazil entered the European market through multiple entry points.

The revelation came during a meeting of the European Parliament’s Agriculture (AGRI) Committee in Brussels, where Commissioner for Health and Animal Welfare, Olivér Várhelyi, was questioned by Midlands North West MEP Ciaran Mullooly.

The Commissioner confirmed that the incident represented a system failure and described the shipments as a coordinated breach. He said Brazilian authorities had been contacted, with certification for the organisation and farms involved now suspended.

Speaking after the meeting, Mr Mullooly said the admission raised serious concerns about consumer safety.

“This is an extraordinary and deeply concerning admission by the European Commission,” he said. “It confirms that beef imported into the European Union under existing trade arrangements has the potential to pose a direct risk to consumer health.”

The Commissioner acknowledged the situation was “unacceptable” and pointed to audit findings indicating weaknesses in Brazil’s production and certification systems.

Mr Mullooly said he had been raising concerns about Brazilian beef imports for months, warning that systemic failures could undermine EU food safety standards.

“This will come as little consolation to Irish and EU farmers who must uphold the highest standards,” he said.

The MEP also warned that the issue adds urgency to ongoing discussions around the proposed EU-Mercosur trade agreement, which is expected to increase beef imports from South America.

“Within weeks, provisional application of the Mercosur agreement is expected, yet the Commission is simultaneously acknowledging a credible risk to human health,” he said.

“Proceeding under these circumstances defies logic. The agreement must be paused until the EU can guarantee, with full certainty, that imports comply with EU standards and pose no risk to consumers.”

The European Commission has not indicated how long the suspension of the affected Brazilian suppliers will remain in place.

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