The European Union Food Chain and Animal Health Permanent Committee in Brussels has banned all beef imports from Paraguay, after the European Commission recorded “serious problems” and “gross breaches” in the country’s foot and mouth disease supervision and sanitary control measures.
The Commission says the foot and mouth outbreak of 2001, which spread to all Mercosur member countries, originated in Paraguay. The EU resolution is seen as a “strong message” to Paraguayan authorities to commit to combating the cattle disease and a warning to those who do not comply with the sanitary measures laid down by experts in South America and the EU.
