Official response to recent statements by European agrifood companies

• Environmental Commitment and Command and Control System: Brazil has one of the world’s most rigorous environmental legal frameworks, supported by an efficient command and control system backed by a complex monitoring and inspection structure. This system has enabled the country to combat illegal deforestation with public policies that encompass the Cerrado, the Amazon, and other sensitive regions, ensuring agricultural production is conducted responsibly and sustainably. Brazil’s international commitments have been periodically reaffirmed with audacious goals for decarbonization, deforestation reduction, and the promotion of sustainable agriculture which have been confirmed during Brazil’s G20 Presidency.
• Brazilian Companies’ Due Diligence Processes: Brazilian companies operating in the export market with soybean and other agricultural products conform to rigorous due diligence processes that ensure the fulfillment of their international clients’ exigencies. These processes reflect the efforts and investments in sustainability done by Brazil’s productive sector, with robust and internationally recognized traceability models.
• Position Statement on the European Union Deforestation Regulation (EUDR): Brazil considers the EUDR norms to be arbitrary, unilateral, and punitive as they fail to consider the particularities of the producer countries and impose exigencies with significant impacts over the costs and the participation of small-size producers in the European market. These new guidelines make access to the European market more difficult for products from Brazil, Latin America, and other sources, including Asia, instead of supporting fair and sustainable transitions. Positive incentives are more effective in promoting environmental protection by compensating and rewarding those who provide environmental services.
• Brazilian Solutions and Commitment to Transparency: As part of the efforts to tend to the legitimate concerns of consumer markets, Brazil presented to the European Union proposals of electronic models that contemplate the initial stages of EUDR, demonstrating its commitment to traceable and transparent production. Our private traceability models are widely recognized and approved by European markets, evidencing the seriousness with which Brazil deals with environmental issues and the safety of its productive chains.
• International Dialogue and Cooperation: The Brazilian Government maintains a constant dialogue with the European Union to align practices and establish regulations that benefit all stakeholders. Recently, Brazil officially stated its position and obtained a response from the European Union announcing the postponement of the application of EUDR to 2025, which reinforces the importance of bilateral discussions and the search for solutions that respect the sovereignty of producer countries.

We reiterate that Brazil’s position is firm about not accepting regulations that ignore our environmental and social advancements through the imposition of disproportional restrictions on Brazilian products.

We understand that this posture negatively influences the behavior of companies, compromising the understanding of consumers regarding the real dimension of food safety based on sustainable production and international negotiations, which must be founded on mutual trust and respect for the sovereignty and diversity of national solutions.

Brazilian agriculture is a pillar of global sustainability and already reached high standards that reflect our commitment to fair and sustainably responsible trade. Brazil's agricultural and livestock metrics have been assessed in international forums concerning sustainability; compared to other countries, they show a positive distinction in terms of productivity gains and the reduction of negative impacts.

Brazil is ready to collaborate but demands to be treated with the same fairness and balance that guide international trade relations. Unreasonable and inappropriate measures—such as the ones announced by European companies with strong presence and activity in the Brazilian market— must be rejected.

Respectfully,
Brazil’s Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock