Today, the European Commission published its 6th progress report on the implementation of the European One Health Action Plan against Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR), adopted in June 2017.

The progress report shows that a number of initiatives taken at EU level have progressed over the last six months. The Joint Action on Antimicrobial Resistance and Healthcare-Associated Infections (JAMRAI), which supported collaborative activities and policy development in Member States was finalised last February. The EU AMR One-Health Network, chaired by the European Commission, reconvened on-line on 25 March following a year-long pause due to the COVID-19 pandemic. This was an important opportunity for EU Member States, the European Commission and partners (Tripartite Plus - WHO, FAO, OIE, UNEP) to discuss the latest developments on AMR from a One Health perspective at EU and international levels. At regulatory level, the Commission established tertiary legislation to implement the EU Regulations on Veterinary Medicinal Products and on Medicated Feed, which will support reaching the target, set in the EU Farm to Fork Strategy, to reduce overall EU sales of antimicrobials for farmed animals and in aquaculture by 50% by 2030.

On 30 June the third Joint Inter-agency report - JIACRA III - was published. Produced by the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC), the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) and the European Medicines Agency (EMA), it provides an integrated, One health, analysis of antimicrobial agent consumption and occurrence of antimicrobial resistance in bacteria from humans and food-producing animals in the EU/EEA. The EFSA BIOHAZ Panel scientific opinion on the “Role played by the environment in the emergence and spread of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) through the food chain” was also published in June. Finally, at the request of the EP’s ANIT committee, a request for a scientific opinion on the transmission of antimicrobial resistance (with links to animal welfare) and zoonotic agents during animal transport was sent to EFSA. The EP requested that the opinion be ready by October 2021.

EU Action Plan on AMR

Addressing AMR through a One Health approach is a priority for this Commission, as flagged in Commissioner Kyriakides’ Mission letter in November 2019. The key objectives of the European One Health Action Plan against Antimicrobial Resistance are built on three main pillars: making the EU a best practice region; boosting research, development and innovation as well as shaping the global agenda. The next progress report is planned to be published at the end of 2021.

• Full report