70% of antibiotics globally are currently used by animals and global antimicrobial consumption in the animal farming sector is expected to increase by 67% from 2010 to 2030, according to UN Environment.

In the EU, the Veterinary Medicines and Medicated Feed Regulations will come into force in January 2022. They restrict, among others, the use of antibiotics in preventative treatment and will phase-in the requirement to collect use data for all animal species.

The Farm to Fork Strategy for sustainable food systems includes a target to reduce the sales of antimicrobials for farm animals and in aquaculture by 50% by 2030. The Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) will shape incentives in the agricultural sector for the years to come.

The panelists discussed how the Farm to Fork Strategy and the Common Agricultural Policy could help the EU move towards a food system that is less dependent on the use of antimicrobials, and how the EU could protect people living in Europe from the exposure and spread of AMR through third-country imports of animal products, while ensuring European farmers do not face unfair competition from animal foods produced to lower antibiotic use standards. 

Sabine Juelicher

Director for Food and Feed Safety, Innovation

European Commission

Rens Van Dobbenburgh

President

Federation of Veterinarians of Europe (FVE)