Brazil is stepping up its efforts to comply with EU standards of residue testing and veterinary medicines controls, but still has more work to do in some areas.

The latest report by EU veterinary inspectors concluded that “the competent authority has worked hard to rectify the deficiencies identified in previous missions, thereby increasing confidence in the chemical safety of food of animal origin exported to the EU”.

Progress was being made to accredit government laboratories to the ISO 17025 standard imposed on EU labs, though none of them had actually achieved this level of accreditation. But, generally, they were satisfied that most of the previously identified deficiencies had been addressed.

The report has been condemned by the Irish Farmers’ Association, however, which accused the EU Commission of “fudging” the issues.

“The EU is reporting that Brazil is not testing for thyrostats in cattle and there are gaps in key areas such as residue testing for organophosphates, which are in widespread use in Brazil,” it said.