List of antimicrobials reserved for treatment of certain infections in humans

Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2022/1255 of 19 July 2022 designating antimicrobials or groups of antimicrobials reserved for treatment of certain infections in humans, in accordance with Regulation (EU) 2019/6 of the European Parliament and of the Council

Update

The EU list, published in July 2022, of antimicrobials (antibiotics, antivirals and antiprotozoals) that must be limited to human use and cannot be used on animals, applies from 9 February, 2023.

What is changing?

The EU now prohibits the use in food-producing animals of the substances listed in Table 1.

Why?

Antimicrobial resistance is viewed as a major threat to global health. The EU seeks to limit the use of certain drugs to treat humans, to ensure their continued efficiency. This is consistent with the EU’s One Health Approach: “antimicrobial management in one sector may affect antimicrobial resistance in the other sectors” [Delegated Regulation (EU) 2021/1760, recital (2)].

Timeline

The Implementing Regulation was published on 20 July 2022 and entered into application on 9 February 2023.

What are the major implications for exporting countries?

If these antimicrobials are used in exporting countries in food-producing animals (or their products) intended for export to the EU, their use must be identified and replaced by alternatives.

Recommended Actions

Exporters of animals and of foods of animal origin must ensure that food-producing animals are not treated with one of the listed antimicrobial treatments (even for medical use) after 9 February 2023.

In order to analyse the impact of this regulation on exporting countries, COLEAD is collecting information on cases where the prohibited antimicrobial treatments may create problems for export, for example due to the absence of alternative treatments. Such information can be emailed to agrinfo@colead.link

Background

In the framework of the fight against antimicrobial resistance, Regulation (EU) 2019/6 sets a range of concrete measures to fight antimicrobial resistance and to promote more prudent and responsible use of antimicrobial medicinal products in animals, including very strict rules on their veterinary prescription for prophylactic and metaphylactic use. That Regulation also states that antimicrobial medicinal products should not be administered routinely, or used to compensate for poor hygiene, inadequate animal husbandry, lack of care or poor farm management.

Delegated Regulation (EU) 2021/1760 establishes criteria for the designation of antimicrobials to be reserved for treatment of certain infections in humans. Based on these criteria, Implementing Regulation (EU) 2022/1255 now lays down this list of antimicrobials.

Sources

Tables & Figures

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