List of non-EU countries compliant with new EU antimicrobial requirements

Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2024/2598 of 4 October 2024 laying down the list of third countries or regions thereof authorised for the entry into the Union of certain animals and products of animal origin intended for human consumption in accordance with Regulation (EU) 2017/625 of the European Parliament and of the Council as regards the application of the prohibition on the use of certain antimicrobial medicinal products

Update

The EU has published the list of non-EU countries that meet new EU requirements on the use of antimicrobial medicinal products in animals or animal products (see Rules on prohibited antimicrobials in imported animal products). Comparing this new list with the list of non-EU countries currently authorised to export these products to the EU, the following countries are not included, and still need to provide the declaration and appropriate guarantees required to avoid any disruption to trade on 3 September 2026: Armenia, Benin, Belize, Burkina Faso, Eswatini, Indonesia, India, Iran, Jamaica, Kenya, Mauritius, Mozambique, Nigeria, Panama, Sri Lanka, Serbia, Tanzania, Tunisia, Uganda, Uzbekistan, Wallis and Futuna.

Impacted Products

Animals and animal products for human consumption except for:

- gelatine, collagen, highly refined products, composite products, wild animals, insects, frogs, snails, reptiles

- animals and food in transit not placed on the EU market

- animals or animal products not intended for human consumption

- samples for product analysis and quality testing not placed on the market.

What is changing?

In accordance with Regulation 2023/905, non-EU countries received a letter from the European Commission in May 2023 requesting them to submit a written declaration before the end of November 2023 providing guarantees of conformity with the prohibition of the use in animals of:

• certain antimicrobials reserved to treat humans
• antimicrobials either as growth promoters or to increase yield.

For more details see Rules on prohibited antimicrobials in imported animal products.

The EU Commission has now assessed the declarations received. This Regulation lists those countries that have submitted appropriate evidence and guarantees of meeting new antimicrobial requirements.

• Non-EU countries that have met requirements are marked with an ‘X’ in the table in the Annex.
• Non-EU countries that have not submitted appropriate evidence and guarantees of meeting antimicrobial requirements, but intend to use only raw material from EU Member States or from other approved non-EU countries in animal products destined for the EU, are marked with a ‘Δ’ in the table in the Annex for the relevant species or commodity.

AGRINFO partners not included in the new list (but currently listed for the export of animal products with a valid residue control plan in Regulation 2021/405, Annex-I) are:

• Armenia: aquaculture; honey
• Benin: honey
• Belize: aquaculture
• Burkina Faso: honey
• Eswatini: cattle/beef
• Indonesia: aquaculture
• India: aquaculture; eggs; honey; casings
• Iran: aquaculture; casings
• Jamaica: bivalve molluscs
• Kenya: aquaculture
• Mauritius: aquaculture; honey (triangular trade for honey)
• Mozambique: aquaculture
• Nigeria: aquaculture
• Panama: aquaculture
• Sri Lanka: aquaculture
• Serbia: all commodities (except farmed game)
• Tanzania: aquaculture and honey
• Tunisia: aquaculture; casings
• Uganda: honey
• Uzbekistan: casings
• Wallis and Futuna: honey.

For more information on Regulation 2021/405, see Third country lists for public health – explained.

Why?

The EU is adopting a list of compliant non-EU countries to ensure that food of animal origin exported from non-EU countries to the EU complies with the EU requirements on antimicrobials (Regulation 2023/905).

Timeline

The list of countries permitted to export animal products to the EU applies from 3 September 2026 (24 months after the revised Model health certificates enter into force).

What are the major implications for exporting countries?

Only non-EU countries included in the list for the marked commodity or commodities will be authorised to continue exporting these products to the EU from 3 September 2026.

Following the publication of this Regulation, the list will be updated on the basis of the evidence and guarantees received.

Recommended Actions

The Regulation may still be modified before it enters into application. If non-EU countries not yet on the list submit the required declarations soon, they could still be listed before the Regulation is applied on 3 September 2026.

As soon as possible, the countries listed above should send the required written declaration guaranteeing compliance to SANTE-VETERINARY-MEDICINES@ec.europa.eu.

The declaration must include every type of animal product exported to the EU to avoid potential disruptions to trade (European Commission 2023).

The template for the declaration can be requested from SANTE-VETERINARY-MEDICINES@ec.europa.eu.

Any questions can be emailed to agrinfo@colead.link.

Background

Antimicrobial resistance is viewed as a major threat to global health. The EU seeks to ensure prudent and responsible use of antimicrobials in animals.

Regulation 2023/905 established stricter requirements to ensure that live animals and certain animal products exported to the EU are not produced using certain prohibited antimicrobials.

In order to export such products, countries will have to be included in the official list of authorised exporting countries (confirming they are compliant with the new antimicrobial rules) by 3 September 2026. From 3 September 2024, exporters must use the updated official certificates that have an attestation of compliance signed by their competent authorities (see Model health certificates: antimicrobial attestation).

Resources

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