Irish MEP Ciaran Mullooly has said that the office of the EU's health chief has confirmed to him that a total ban on beef from Brazil entering the EU will commence from Thursday (September 3).

Mullooly told Agriland that he has spoken with officials for European Commissioner for Health and Animal Welfare Oliver Varhelyi.

According to the MEP, he was informed in that meeting that a full prohibition on beef from Brazil will commence from this Thursday (with the exception of beef that may have already left Brazil before that day).

Mullooly said that there had been suggestions that some regions, or even single farms, might find a way to be individually cleared to export to Europe.

However, the Independent Ireland MEP said that he was informed by the commission officials that this will not be the case.

Mullooly's comments would also seem to have put paid to any suggestion that the commission's date of the ban entering into effect would be extended.

In May, it emerged that Brazil would no longer be allowed to export a range of animal products to the EU from September 3.

That move came after member states voted to exclude Brazil from an updated list of third countries authorised to export food-producing animals and animal products to the EU.

This includes exports of beef, poultry, eggs, honey and casings from the South American country.

In order to be included on the list of approved exporting countries, Brazil must ensure compliance with EU requirements on the use of antimicrobials for the entire lifetime of the animals that the exported products originate from.

According to Mullooly, this effectively means a pause in Brazilian beef exports to the EU of at least two years (the time it takes for animals to be raised to slaughter).

The Ireland Midlands-Northwest MEP said that officials from the commission's Directorate-General for Health and Food Safety, (DG Sante), which is overseen by Commissioner Varhelyi, will be called to a meeting of the European Parliament's agriculture committee (which Mullooly is a member of) soon to talk about the matter in greater detail.

In a statement following his talks with Commissioner Varhelyi's officials, Mullooly said: "Irish and European farmers operate under some of the strictest food-safety, animal-health, traceability and environmental standards in the world.

"It is completely unacceptable to expect them to compete against imported products that cannot demonstrate compliance with equivalent standards," he said.

However, Mullooly said that "particular attention must now be given" to Northern Ireland, given that the UK "has not followed the same approach as the EU in relation to Brazilian beef".

"We must now be extremely vigilant about Brazilian beef entering Northern Ireland and the potential implications for farmers, processors and cross-border trade," he said.

"Northern Ireland farmers are required to operate to very high standards and should not find themselves competing with Brazilian beef produced under standards that the EU itself has determined are insufficient for access to its market," he added.

The MEP said he is seeking a meeting with farming representatives in Northern Ireland to "hear first-hand their concerns and proposals, particularly regarding the potential impact on Northern Ireland agriculture and legitimate cross-border trade on the island of Ireland."