EU suspends Brazil beef imports

The European Union will suspend all imports of Brazilian beef from Thursday saying the country's foot-and-mouth disease checks are "unacceptable".

Last month, the EU warned that only beef from an authorised list of Brazilian farms would be allowed into Europe from 31 January.

But no agreement was reached on the list, so Brazil has been told none of its beef can be exported to EU nations.

Brazil's government said the temporary ban was "unjustifiable and arbitrary".

The country is the world's biggest beef exporter, selling more than $4bn of beef last year.


http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/7218965.stm