European producers are leaders in the export of quality beef, as evidenced by the figures. Eurostat data reveals that EU countries exported about one million tonnes of beef, worth €10 million, in 2021.
The European Union is the world’s third-largest beef producer, accounting for approximately 13% of global production. It is at the forefront, along with countries such as Brazil, the United States, China, India, and Argentina1.
The primary advantages of European beef lie in its exceptional flavour and advanced technological standards. The reputation of EU producers can be attributed to their adherence to the highest standards of animal husbandry, coupled with expertise in traditional beef curing, which results in an exceptional final product. Quality is achieved through a meticulously organised production chain, and European producers consistently prioritise the taste, succulence, and tenderness of beef.
The European Union uses a classification system for beef carcasses: S EUROP. Classification is conducted through visual observation of the carcass conformation by an authorised and qualified assessor. Carcasses weighing over 300 kg are subject to qualification. Categories A to E define the origin of the carcass according to sex. The conformation and fat cover class is defined by the letters S, E, U, R, O or P, where ‘S’ is outstanding muscularity and ‘P’ is poor. Fat cover is indicated by the numbers 1 to 5, where ‘1’ corresponds to low fat cover and ‘5’ to very high fat cover. Additionally, one of three discriminators is used in each conformation and fat cover class: ‘+’, “no discriminator”, and “-”. For example, ‘EE1+’ indicates a heifer carcass with excellent meatiness, low-fat cover and a higher fat class. In this way, it is straightforward to verify the quality of the carcass at each production stage.2
1 Data from the report “Livestock and Poultry: World Markets and Trade”
2 Based on the description of the classification system available on the website of the Agricultural and Food Quality Inspection
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