The EU's food safety chief has defended the bloc's food safety standards and rules, saying those standards "do not stop at the EU borders".

European Commissioner for Health and Animal Welfare Oliver Varhelyi was speaking on the occasion of World Food Safety Day, which took place on Sunday (June 7).

The commissioner said the EU's rules are based on "strong, science-based rules, rigorous controls and close co-operation between food business operators and public authorities".

"This framework ensures that the food that reaches European consumers is as safe as it can be," he added.

"When risks are identified, unsafe products are swiftly removed from the market, often before they ever reach supermarket shelves," the Hungarian commissioner said.

He noted that the EU is one of the world's largest importers of food and that its consumers "enjoy a wide variety of products from across the world".

"As they do so, they can rest assured that our standards do not stop at the EU borders. Our strict rules on food and feed hygiene, our high standards for animal and plant health, apply to all products put on our market, whether produced in Europe or not," Commissioner Varhelyi said.

The commissioner said that, since the start of the current commission in 2024, he has "worked to strengthen every link in this food chain and ensure that our world-class food safety system remains robust, effective and fit for the future".

"I have increased controls on imports and taken firm action to prevent unsafe goods from entering the market. The message is clear: if a product is sold in the European Union, it must meet European standards," he said.

"This protects consumers. It ensures fairness for our farmers, producers and food businesses," Commissioner Varhelyi added.

Brazilian beef concerns

The commissioner's comments come amid persistent concerns over the safety of beef from Brazil that is imported into the EU.

A former chairperson of the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) has said he does not believe Brazil can meet a deadline to comply with EU regulations regarding the use of antimicrobials in livestock.

Last month, the European Commission confirmed that Brazil will no longer be authorised to export a range of animal products to the EU from September 3.

This follows a vote by member states on an updated list of third countries authorised to export food-producing animals and animal products to the EU.

Dr. Patrick Wall, a former EFSA chair, told Independent Ireland MEP Ciaran Mullooly that he believes it will not be technically possible for Brazil to be restored onto the EU export list by the September deadline.

Dr. Wall noted that Brazil is currently working on a full traceability system for its entire cattle herd, similar to the EU, but this is not expected until 2036.

"The Brazilian authorities now have three months to get their act together and I don’t believe this will be possible," he added.