MEPs fight AMR
MEP Interest Group on Antimicrobial Resistance

 

deaths AMR is annually responsible for in Europe

billion € yearly healthcare costs and productivity losses due to AMR in Europe

million deaths per year worldwide by 2050 if no action on AMR is taken

million people who could be pushed into extreme poverty by 2030 by AMR.

MEPs FIGHT AMR

2019-2024 strategic work programme of the
MEP Interest Group on Antimicrobial Resistance

The European Parliament can play a key role in boosting actions to tackle AMR at EU level.

The MEP Interest Group on AMR offers a unique opportunity to address AMR, which not only directly affects the lives of all Europeans but also threatens global economic development.

Latest Developments 

New alcohol labelling law in Ireland – an important step to ensure consumer’s rights

Stephen Donnelly, Minister for Health in Ireland, signed into law regulations that mandate alcohol labels to include health risks associated with consumption, including the link to fatal cancers. Globally, alcohol causes 3 million deaths per year, with 1 million occurring in Europe, making Europe the region with the highest percentage of deaths directly attributed to alcohol consumption.

read more

EPHA Newsletter | A Step Closer to the European Health Data Space

The proposal for a regulation on the European Health Data Space (EHDS) presents a unique opportunity for countries in the European Union to harness the power of health data to improve healthcare outcomes and reduce health disparities. However, whether the EHDS will be successful in that depends on a number of factors, including but not limited to the digital health literacy of EU citizens and healthcare providers, and the readiness of EU member states in terms of infrastructure and technological capabilities, as well as implementation deadlines. Given that the members of the European Parliament (MEPs) have tabled over 2,100 amendments to the Commission’s original text, it is very likely that the final version of the EHDS regulation will differ considerably from the initial proposal.

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Events

water sample. hand collects water to explore. concept water purity analysis, environment, ecology. water testing for infections, permission to swim. selective focus, place for text.

Investigating the environmental dimensions of AMR: MEP Interest Group on AMR Annual Meeting

17 May 2022 | 15:00 – 17:30 CEST

Ensuring responsible antimicrobial use in EU food production: MEP Interest Group on AMR Annual Meeting

29 June 2021

AMR: setting the agenda for change

19 February 2020

Official launch of the MEP Interest Group on AMR in the European Parliament.

Fixing the antibiotic innovation pipeline

17 November 2020

Tackling the dependence of EU food systems on antimicrobials

16 November 2020


World Antimicrobial Awareness Week Campaigns 

#MEPvsAMR Messages for #WAAW2021

18 – 24 November 2021

#MEPvsAMR Messages for #WAAW2020

18 – 24 November 2020

BECOME AN AMR CHAMPION

What is the MEP Interest Group on AMR?

The MEP Interest Group on Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) is the only AMR-dedicated group in the European Parliament. It brings together MEPs from across the political spectrum who are working together to ensure Europe is a global leader in the fight against this urgent health threat. Its members are committed to: 

  • Ensuring that AMR is high on the EU policy agenda and that the European Parliament plays a key role in boosting AMR action
  • Stressing the need for urgent action through a multi-sectoral One Health approach, which addresses human, animal and environmental health
  • Ensuring that the EU and its Member States deliver on their commitments and implement effective actions at EU, national and regional level.

Why become a member?

Knowledge – 

  • Benefit from evidence-based information to build your knowledge to implement effective actions on AMR
  • Receive regular updates on policy and scientific developments  

Support – 

  • Receive continuous support from AMR Stakeholder Network members to undertake actions in the European Parliament, including drafting motions for plenary debates, reports, opinions, and/or questions for written answers on AMR across its human, animal and environmental dimensions
  • Join other concerned MEPs to keep pressure on the European Commission and Member States to deliver on their commitments
  • Receive support to highlight issues of national relevance which have a direct impact on your constituents

Stay Connected – 

  • be connected to a wide network of civil society organisations across Europe
  • engage with other MEPs and decision-makers committed to tackling AMR, 
  • show your commitment and visibility to tackling this urgent public health threat

What are the aims and objectives for the 2019-2024 term?

  • Raise awareness on AMR
  • Support the use of target-setting and evaluation in AMR policy-making
  • Promote funding for AMR-related investments
  • Enable an inclusive EU AMR One Health Dialogue
  • Ensure that prevention is at the heart of all AMR action
  • Address the market failures in antibiotic research & innovation
  • Fight pharmaceutical pollution
  • Ensure effective implementation of the EU veterinary medicinal products and medicated feed regulations
     

READ THE FULL 2019-2024 STRATEGIC WORK PROGRAMME HERE.

Meet the AMR champions

Sarah Wiener, MEP

Sarah Wiener, MEP

Greens/EFA, Austria

Chair

Tiemo Wölken, MEP

Tiemo Wölken, MEP

S&D, Germany

Vice-Chair

Nicolae Ştefănuţă, MEP

Nicolae Ştefănuţă, MEP

RE, Romania

Vice-Chair

Brando Benifei, MEP

Brando Benifei, MEP

S&D, Italy

 

Biljana Borzan, MEP

Biljana Borzan, MEP

S&D, Croatia

 

Sara Cerdas, MEP

Sara Cerdas, MEP

S&D, Portugal

 

Olivier Chastel, MEP

Olivier Chastel, MEP

RE, Belgium

 

Cyrus Engerer, MEP

Cyrus Engerer, MEP

S&D, Malta

Frances Fitzgerald, MEP

Frances Fitzgerald, MEP

EPP, Ireland

 

Roberta Metsola, MEP

Roberta Metsola, MEP

EPP, Malta

 

Juozas OLEKAS, MEP

Juozas OLEKAS, MEP

S&D, Lithuania

Sirpa Pietikäinen, MEP

Sirpa Pietikäinen, MEP

EPP, Finland

 

Jessica Polfjärd, MEP

Jessica Polfjärd, MEP

EPP, Sweden

Piernicola Pedicini MEP

Piernicola Pedicini MEP

Greens/EFA, Italy

Tomislav Sokol, MEP

Tomislav Sokol, MEP

EPP, Croatia

 

Manuela Ripa, MEP

Manuela Ripa, MEP

Greens/EFA, Germany

Christel Schaldemose, MEP

Christel Schaldemose, MEP

S&D, Denmark

 

István Ujhelyi, MEP

István Ujhelyi, MEP

S&D, Hungary

 

Sarah Wiener, MEP

Greens/EFA, Austria

Chair

Tiemo Wölken, MEP

S&D, Germany

Vice-Chair

Nicolae Ştefănuţă, MEP

Renew Europe, Romania

Vice-Chair

Brando Benifei, MEP

S&;D, Italy

 

Biljana Borzan, MEP

S&D, Croatia

 

Sara Cerdas, MEP

S&D, Portugal

 

Olivier Chastel, MEP

Renew Europe, Belgium

 

Fredrick Federley, MEP

Renew Europe, Sweden

 

Frances Fitzgerald, MEP

EPP, Ireland

 

Mairead McGuinness, MEP

EPP, Ireland

 

Roberta Metsola, MEP

EPP, Malta

Piernicola Pedicini, MEP

NI, Italy

Sirpa Pietikäinen, MEP

EPP, Finland

 

Jessica Polfjärd, MEP

EPP, Sweden

 

Christel Schaldemose, MEP

S&D, Denmark

 

Tomislav Sokol, MEP

EPP, Croatia

 

István Ujhelyi , MEP

S&D, Hungary

 

How do we work?

The MEP Interest Group was established in November 2019 during World Antibiotic Awareness Week. Further to the first introductory technical internal meeting of the group which took place on 20 January 2020, the Group was officially launched on 19 February 2020 at the European Parliament.

The high-level launch event entitled ‘AMR: Setting the agenda for change’, brought together key players working on AMR, including the European Commissioner for Health and Food Safety and other European Commission representatives, the UN Tripartite organisations collaborating on AMR (FAO/OIE/WHO), Member States’ representatives, members of the AMR Stakeholder Network and other stakeholders. Musician and patient Silviu Ciocanelli, also shared a captivating account of the reality of living with AMR, calling for urgent measures to be taken to protect Europeans.

The MEP Interest Group meets on average twice per year with external stakeholders (annual meeting + side meeting dedicated to a specific AMR-related dimension). Meetings can take the form of debates, workshops, or webinars to discuss, monitor progress and advocate for future actions.

MEPs are free to decide on their level of involvement in meetings and other activities, depending on their interests and agendas. Nonetheless, MEPs are highly encouraged to take part in at least one activity a year.

 

The Secretariat

The Secretariat of the Interest Group is co-hosted by the European Public Health Alliance (EPHA) and Health Care Without Harm (HCWH) Europe with the support of the AMR Stakeholder Network.

EPHA is a leading Brussels-based NGO advocating for better health in Europe. It is a member-led organisation made up of public health NGOs, patient groups, health professionals and disease groups, working to improve health and strengthen the voice of public health in Europe. 

HCWH Europe is the European arm of a global not-for-profit NGO whose mission is to transform healthcare worldwide so that it reduces its environmental footprint, becomes a community anchor for sustainability, and a leader in the global movement for environmental health and justice.

The AMR Stakeholder Network, operating within the framework of the European Commission’s Health Policy Platform, brings together 80 members representing health and environmental NGOs, patient organisations, public health institutes, national and regional authorities and agencies, committed academics and healthcare professionals working on AMR, and other stakeholders, working on AMR.  

The MEP Interest Group activities and organisation of meetings at the European Parliament will receive financial support from European Commission Operating Grants of the EU Health Programme & LIFE Programme.

ABOUT THE AMR STAKEHOLDER NETWORK

Questions?

Cristina Pricop

Junior Policy Manager​ for Global Public Health
European Public Health Alliance
cristina.pricop@epha.org

Jean-Yves Stenuick

Safer Pharma Programme Manager
Health Care Without Harm (HCWH) Europe
jean-yves.stenuick@hcwh.org

​HCWH Europe gratefully acknowledges the financial support of the European Commission (EC)’s LIFE programme. HCWH Europe is solely responsible for its content and related materials. The views expressed do not reflect the official views of the European Commission.

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