Infographics Even before the EU-Mercosur agreement, the imports of South American beef jumped almost 80% this summer

The fake feet of Argentines, the intercapitated Brazilians and other Uruguayans rumsteaks hope to make a place (small) at the European tables. While it has just been taken in Brussels, the EU-Mercosur trade agreement is close to the finish line, which could be reached by the end of the year. The object of the anger of a good part of the farmers, the Free Trade Agreement between the European Union and its Mercosur* partners (Argentina, Brazil, Uruguay, Paraguay) will facilitate among others, the arrival of the flesh of South American beef in Europe.

South American producers did not wait for their next entry into force to supply the European market. In July 2025, the EU imported just over 47,500 tons ** of beef of third countries (that is, external to the EU), or 15,000 tons (+46.2%) more than in July 2024. However, South America is responsible for almost all this beginning: in this month, the Mercosur countries weighed almost 33,600 these imports, which represents 14,800 tons, which represents 14,800 tons additional (+78. Other.

Accounted to provide a large part of the volumes outside the EU, the month of July is a good performance for Mercosur. Represented 70.7% of European imports from third countries in July 2025, compared to 57.7% in July 2024, it was 55.6% in July 2019 and 42.9% in July 2016.

If we return a little, this monthly volume recorded in July 2025 is even the highest in the last fifteen years, largely ahead of 24,149 tons of April 2019, according to Eurostat data. In detail, monthly imports of Uruguay beef (+73.4%in July 2025 compared to July 2024) exceeded 10,000 tons that month, the same for Argentina (+46.9%), while arrivals from Brazil (+132.3%) are discussed. Smaller, Paraguay took advantage of the same increase (+67.8%) in the heart of summer.

Europe does not have enough meat

This consequent increase in beef exports to our regions has a completely found explanation: Europe lacks beef and resorts to Latin America. The European beef production accused a 3.2% decrease in the first half of 2025, with 3,142 million tons, or 103,000 tons less than in the same period in 2024. However, “consumption remains in Germany and decreases modestly in large consuming countries” such as Italy and France, observes the Livestock Institute (Idele) in its monthly trends.

Should we also see a warning signal, when the EU-Mercosur agreement will soon be activated? If it remains to be confirmed in December, the trend has increased in any case since the beginning of the year. During the first seven months, the volumes rose 20.5% compared to the same period in 2024, which in theory could boost total annual volumes of more than 230,000 tons in 2025. “Brazilian customs indicate that beef exports continued at a good pace” in August, with 13,600 tons sent (+45%) the idele.

Even before the EU-Mercosur agreement, these four countries already benefit from reduced or zero customs tasks to the European market. Completed in the 1970s as part of the Gatt, the contingents “Hilton” called (called the calls by the Hôtel de Tokyo, where they were negotiated) allow Argentina (38,206 tons), Brazil (11,636 tons), Uruguay (7,288 tons) and Paraguay (1,300 tons) on a little more than 58,400. Customs duties. This refers to the noble pieces of “high quality” meat of animals fattened with grass.

99,000 additional tons

In addition, the EU was forced to open in 2009 a contingent of 58,500 tons of “meat” of “meat” of 0% of customs tariffs, in compensation for its prohibition of importing products of animals treated with hormones. Several countries share: 45,500 tons for the United States, 13,000 tons that are shared between Argentina, Uruguay, New Zealand and Australia.

The EU-Mercosur agreement will soon recover the cards: as it ends, it plans to gradually open, more than six years, a new quota of 99,000 tons of South American beef attached to 7.5% of customs duties. However, the European Commission is reassuring, and points out that these 99,000 tons only equals 1.5% of the production of European meat in 2024. But the treaty also plans to increase customs tasks from 20% to 58,400 tons “Hilton”.

Thanks to the EU-Mercosur agreement, around 157,000 tons of South American beef that will eventually benefit from customs tasks to the maximum of 7.5% at the entrance to Europe, not to mention the 13,000 tons shared with Oceania. As a comparison, Mercosur countries sent 194,000 tons of beef to the European Union in 2024, already largely beyond these quotas.

Overflow in the 2000s

Mercosur is a long -standing EU supplier in terms of beef, especially for high -aggregate meat pieces. But it is still far from matching its volumes exported to the EU in the 2000s, which had seen the arrivals of Brazilian flesh in 2006, the European imports of South American beef were twice heavier than in 2024, when prices were particularly low in Brazil. The four Mercosur countries said between 80% and 90% of European imports from third countries.

These expeditions had decreased brutally in 2008, in parallel with the implementation of Brazil of a system of traceability of individual animals (SISBOV) to meet the European requirements, as indicated by a report to the issue of the EU-Mercosur agreement given to the prime minister in April 2020. This system voluntarily operates, but it remains essential to export to the EU. Therefore, “Brazil’s exports are mainly those that have [alors] Decreed, while those of Uruguay remained relatively stable, “he observed the same report.

With the exception of the air hole caused by the health crisis, the volumes of South American beef have resumed an ascending trajectory, driven by a return from Brazil and a new progression from Argentina since the mid -2010. Unless it is surprised, the year 2024 should not deny it.

*Although having joined the Mercosur block In 2024, Bolivia was not included in the UE-Mercosur trade agreement. Venezuela, a member since 2012, has been suspended indefinitely since 2016 due to the local political situation.

** The volumes of beef are expressed in “equivalent loud tons” (Tec) in this article, but the term “tons” is used there for the convenience of reading.