The beef import quota established by the EU-Mercosur agreement is having a greater impact on the European market than initially anticipated.

Jacek Zarzecki from the Polish Platform for Sustainable Beef has pointed out that the allocated quota of 99,000 tons, which is said to represent 1.5% of total EU beef and veal consumption, actually accounts for approximately 15% of the premium cuts produced in the EU, such as roast beef, loin, and entrecôte.

The agreement specifies import quotas of 54,450 tons of fresh and chilled beef and 44,550 tons of frozen beef, subject to a 7.5% tariff after a six-year transitional phase. Additionally, there is an existing Hilton quota of around 45,000 tons of high-quality beef cuts, which currently face a 20% duty that will be eliminated once the agreement is enacted.

Belgian MEP Benoît Cassart, who is also a cattle farmer, has expressed concerns about these quotas posing a significant threat to the EU market, as local farmers heavily rely on the profitability of premium cuts like entrecôte and fillet.