Mercosur soybean and meat sectors strengthen local networks to facilitate EUDR compliance

Over the past two years, the “Inclusive Dialogues” project, which is part of Team Europe Initiative’s  SAFE Programme, has worked with existing sector platforms in Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay to guide solution-oriented discussions in relation to the EU Regulation on deforestation-free products (EUDR) and the main traceability tools available in the market.

More than 2,000 representatives from producer and industry organisations in Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay, and Uruguay, and representatives of the European Commission gathered in more than 50 national events, as well as two regional events at the Mercosur level, between February 2024 and January 2026.

The main objective of the meetings, coordinated by Solidaridad, was to bring the discussion on EUDR and CSDDD frameworks to different types of producers, including small-scale farmers. This shift allowed to deeply focus on producer’s main technical concerns and disseminate solutions to demonstrate deforestation-free agricultural production, and compliance with each country’s legal framework. Also, in the case of Paraguay, it improved communication between the main soy guilds and producers to work on traceability.

Moreover, in order to provide continuous support in the transition toward EUDR compliance, the project integrated the discussion into existing dialogue spaces. National chapters of the Round Table for Responsible Beef in Uruguay (MUCS), Brazil (MBPS) and Argentina (MACS), and regional networks were strengthened to promote solution-oriented dialogue.

Both actions fueled collaboration between the private and public sectors to support traceability platforms such as RETSA (public) in Paraguay, and VISEC (private) in Argentina, and contribute to the ultimate goal: to continue promoting sustainable and deforestation-free production, as well as fostering the participation of Mercosur producers in the European market.

The initiative showed that adapting supply chains requires coordination, transparency, and solutions tailored to local realities. In this sense, we were able to strengthen spaces for technical exchange and collaboration between producers, companies, governments, and civil society to support a just and inclusive transition.

Rodrigo Castro, Country Director of Solidaridad in Brazil

A dialogue for practical purposes

The dialogues centered in producers’ main concerns in both sectors:

Clarify doubts about the scope and market implications of the regulation, particularly in relation to traceability. According to industry representatives, the region is making progress in developing technical traceability systems and integrating them with existing national platforms. There is also progress in encrypting producer data. However, doubts remain about the interoperability between regional interfaces and European systems.
Identify the main gaps that limit an effective application of the regulation. There has been general agreement in the need to develop remediation measures aimed at installing the required infrastructure for traceability systems, with special attention to small and medium-scale producers who face greater barriers to meet these requirements.
Identify and share good adaptation practices to comply with EUDR among producers and stakeholders from different countries to support the transition of supply chains.
Improve communication between producers and the European Union Commission.

As a result, Solidaridad and Proforest teams, together with national initiatives such as VISEC in Argentina and MUCS Uruguay, and programs such as AL-Invest Verde, the Argentine-German Dialogue on Sustainable Agricultural Innovations, and the Zero Deforestation Project, systematized guides and analyses of free access. You can find the Links at the bottom.

Conclusions and recommendations

With this initiative we accomplished the goal to reach the largest number of producers with up-to-date, reliable and relevant information, as well as give them the opportunity to engage in direct dialogue with representatives of the European Commission.

Milagros Menna, Country Lead of Solidaridad in Argentina

The audience’s response showed that these spaces for dialogue and joint work are useful for producers to become better informed, raise their concerns, and understand firsthand the regulatory changes being discussed, as well as their possible implications for production.

The dialogues reinforced the idea that the EUDR can be seen as an opportunity for Brazilian livestock farming to advance in efficiency, management, and market access. Traceability is a central pillar of this process, provided it is built in an integrated and inclusive manner, with clear communication, technical assistance, and support for producers, especially small and medium-sized ones.

Michelle Borges, executive manager and representative of the Brazilian Roundtable for Sustainable Livestock

The main recommendation arising from the meetings is to continue promoting these initiatives, focusing on small and medium-sized producers. They still need to strengthen their understanding of the scope and implications of the Regulation, as well as receive technical support and financial incentives to make a fair transition without facing disproportionate costs or administrative burdens.

The project laid the foundations for generating spaces for dialogue as useful tools and now the value chain actors (VISEC, MUCS, MBCS) are giving it continuity to promote the inclusion of producers in value chains exporting to the EU.