List of non-EU countries compliant with new EU antimicrobial requirements
- Animal health
- Animal health certification
- Antimicrobial resistance
- Third country lists
- Animal health controls
- Food safety controls
- Official controls
Summary
The EU has updated 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).
The following countries have been added to the new draft list for antimicrobials: Armenia, Benin, Belize, Burkina Faso, Eswatini, Indonesia, India, Iran, Kenya, Mauritius, Nigeria, Sri Lanka, Serbia, Tanzania, Tunisia, Uganda, Uzbekistan, Wallis and Futuna.
Only countries that have an approved residue monitoring plan (listed in Regulation 2021/405, Annex -I) can also be listed for antimicrobials.
The updated list for antimicrobials now includes all the countries that are listed regarding residue control plans (in Regulation 2021/405, Annex -I) except:
- Brazil: beef, horse, poultry, aquaculture, eggs, honey, casing
- Kazakhstan: honey
- Panama: aquaculture
- (United Arab Emirates, which is outside AGRINFO scope).
These countries can be added to the list once they have provided guarantees that they can comply with EU antimicrobial requirements.
EU updates list of non-EU countries that comply with antimicrobial requirements and are authorised to export animals and animal products
Draft Annex: List of third countries or regions thereof authorised for the entry into the Union of consignments of certain animals and products of animal origin intended for human consumption as regards the restrictions on the use of certain antimicrobial medicinal products laid down in Article 118(1) of Regulation (EU) 2019/6
Update
The EU has updated 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).
The following countries have been added to the new draft list for antimicrobials: Armenia, Benin, Belize, Burkina Faso, Eswatini, Indonesia, India, Iran, Kenya, Mauritius, Nigeria, Sri Lanka, Serbia, Tanzania, Tunisia, Uganda, Uzbekistan, Wallis and Futuna.
Only countries that have an approved residue monitoring plan (listed in Regulation 2021/405, Annex -I) can also be listed for antimicrobials.
The updated list for antimicrobials now includes all the countries that are listed regarding residue control plans (in Regulation 2021/405, Annex -I) except:
- Brazil: beef, horse, poultry, aquaculture, eggs, honey, casing
- Kazakhstan: honey
- Panama: aquaculture
- (United Arab Emirates, which is outside AGRINFO scope).
These countries can be added to the list once they have provided guarantees that they can comply with EU antimicrobial requirements.
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?
The EU has updated its list of countries that have provided guarantees of conformity with the EU’s prohibition of the use in animals of:
- certain antimicrobials reserved to treat humans
- antimicrobials either as growth promoters or to increase yield.
The symbols used in the draft Annex are explained in Table 1.
For more details see Rules on prohibited antimicrobials in imported animal products.
The following countries have been added to this new draft list for antimicrobials: Armenia, Benin, Belize, Burkina Faso, Eswatini, Indonesia, India, Iran, Kenya, Mauritius, Nigeria, Sri Lanka, Serbia, Tanzania, Tunisia, Uganda, Uzbekistan, Wallis and Futuna.
Only countries that have an approved residue monitoring plan (listed in Regulation 2021/405, Annex -I) can also be listed for antimicrobials.
The updated list for antimicrobials now includes all the countries that are listed regarding residue control plans (Regulation 2021/405, Annex -I) except:
- Brazil: beef, horse, poultry, aquaculture, eggs, honey, casing
- Kazakhstan: honey
- Panama: aquaculture
- (United Arab Emirates, which is outside AGRINFO scope).
As Mozambique is expected to be delisted from Annex -I (see Public health lists of countries that can export animal products to the EU – mid-2026 update), it does not appear in this new list for antimicrobials.
Jamaica does not need to be listed for antimicrobials as it exports only wild molluscs.
For more information on the list of non-EU countries authorised to export animal products, see Lists of non-EU countries for public health and animal health – explained.
To ensure that all public health lists appear in the same Regulation, the list of countries authorised in relation to antimicrobials is integrated as a new annex to Regulation 2021/405. Regulation 2024/2598 is repealed.
Why?
The list of compliant non-EU countries aims to ensure that food of animal origin imported into the EU complies with its requirements on the use of antimicrobials in food-producing animals (Regulation 2023/905).
Timeline
EU Member States voted in favour on 12 May 2026. The new Regulation is expected to be published shortly in the Official Journal of the European Union.
The antimicrobials 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 countries included in the antimicrobials list for the marked commodity or commodities (see Table 1) will be authorised to continue exporting these products to the EU from 3 September 2026.
The list will be updated as necessary, on the basis of the evidence and guarantees received by the EU.
Guarantees provided by exporting countries may be checked in the course of EU health and food audits (see 2026 food audit programme: non-EU countries targeted for controls).
Recommended Actions
Countries that are not currently included in the list of authorised countries for antimicrobials are recommended to take the necessary steps to ensure the animal products they intend to export to the EU have not been administered the relevant antimicrobials (for details see Use of antimicrobials in farmed animals in the food supply chain). When they can provide guarantees, they should submit them to SANTE-VETERINARY-MEDICINES@ec.europa.eu.
A template to submit the guarantees on antimicrobials can be requested from SANTE-VETERINARY-MEDICINES@ec.europa.eu. These guarantees must include every type of animal product exported to the EU to avoid potential disruptions to trade (European Commission 2023). This includes banned antibiotics that are:
- reserved for human treatments, and
- used as growth promoters or to increase yield.
Non-EU countries that have made a request to be listed regarding residue control plans (Regulation 2021/405, Annex -I) for a certain animal product are recommended to work in parallel on compliance with antimicrobial requirements. Authorisation on both lists is required in order to export to the EU. For an overview of which authorisations are required by commodity, see Lists of non-EU countries for public health and animal health – explained.
Background
Antimicrobial resistance is viewed as a major threat to global health. The EU aims to contain the spread of antimicrobial resistance by introducing concrete measures that ensure the prudent and responsible use of antimicrobials in animals.
Regulation 2023/905 establishes 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 them, countries have to be included in the official list of authorised exporting countries (confirming they are compliant with the new antimicrobials 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
AGRINFO Guidance: Use of antimicrobials in farmed animals in the food supply chain
Online resources from the European Commission:
- Specifications as regards the listing of third countries and the amendments of the official export certificates, Powerpoint, 8 June 2023
- State of play concerning the implementation of Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2023/905, Powerpoint, 6 March 2024
- Implementing the EU Regulation on veterinary medicines – scroll down to: “Detailed rules regarding animals or products of animal origin imported into the Union (Article 118(2))”
Regulation 2024/399 as regards model certificates for the entry into the Union of consignments of certain products of animal origin and certain categories of animals
Regulation (EU) 2023/905 as regards the application of the prohibition of use of certain antimicrobial medicinal products in animals or products of animal origin exported from third countries into the Union
Regulation (EU) 2022/1255 designating antimicrobials or groups of antimicrobials reserved for treatment of certain infections in humans
Regulation (EU) 2021/1760 establishing the criteria for the designation of antimicrobials to be reserved for the treatment of certain infections in humans
Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2021/405 laying down the lists of third countries or regions thereof authorised for the entry into the Union of certain animals and goods intended for human consumption
Regulation 2019/6 on veterinary medicinal products
Sources
Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2024/2598 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 as regards the application of the prohibition on the use of certain antimicrobial medicinal products
Tables & Figures
Source: based on Regulation 2021/405, Annex -I
Disclaimer: Under no circumstances shall COLEAD be liable for any loss, damage, liability or expense incurred or suffered that is claimed to have resulted from the use of information available on this website or any link to external sites. The use of the website is at the user’s sole risk and responsibility. This information platform was created and maintained with the financial support of the European Union. Its contents do not, however, reflect the views of the European Union.
EU updates list of non-EU countries that comply with antimicrobial requirements and are authorised to export animals and animal products
Draft Annex: List of third countries or regions thereof authorised for the entry into the Union of consignments of certain animals and products of animal origin intended for human consumption as regards the restrictions on the use of certain antimicrobial medicinal products
What is changing and why?
The EU has updated 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).
The following countries have been added to the new draft list for antimicrobials: Armenia, Benin, Belize, Burkina Faso, Eswatini, Indonesia, India, Iran, Kenya, Mauritius, Nigeria, Sri Lanka, Serbia, Tanzania, Tunisia, Uganda, Uzbekistan, Wallis and Futuna.
Only countries that have an approved residue monitoring plan (listed in Regulation 2021/405, Annex -I) can also be listed for antimicrobials.
The updated list for antimicrobials now includes all the countries that are listed regarding residue control plans (in Regulation 2021/405, Annex -I) except:
- Brazil: beef, horse, poultry, aquaculture, eggs, honey, casing
- Kazakhstan: honey
- Panama: aquaculture
- (United Arab Emirates, which is outside AGRINFO scope).
These countries can be added to the list once they have provided guarantees that they can comply with EU antimicrobial requirements.
Actions
Countries that are not currently included in the list of authorised countries for antimicrobials are recommended to take the necessary steps to ensure that the animal products they intend to export to the EU have not been administered the relevant antimicrobials (for details see Use of antimicrobials in farmed animals in the food supply chain). When they can provide guarantees, they should submit them to SANTE-VETERINARY-MEDICINES@ec.europa.eu.
A template to submit the guarantees on antimicrobials can be requested from SANTE-VETERINARY-MEDICINES@ec.europa.eu. These guarantees must include every type of animal product exported to the EU to avoid potential disruptions to trade (European Commission 2023). This includes banned antibiotics that are:
- reserved for human treatments, and
- used as growth promoters or to increase yield.
Non-EU countries that have made a request to be listed regarding residue control plans (Regulation 2021/405, Annex -I) for a certain animal product are recommended to work in parallel on compliance with antimicrobial requirements. Authorisation on both lists is required in order to export to the EU. For an overview of which authorisations are required by commodity, see Lists of non-EU countries for public health and animal health – explained.
Timeline
EU Member States voted in favour on 12 May 2026. The new Regulation is expected to be published shortly.
The antimicrobials 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).
Tables & Figures
Source: based on Regulation 2021/405, Annex -I
Disclaimer: Under no circumstances shall COLEAD be liable for any loss, damage, liability or expense incurred or suffered that is claimed to have resulted from the use of information available on this website or any link to external sites. The use of the website is at the user’s sole risk and responsibility. This information platform was created and maintained with the financial support of the European Union. Its contents do not, however, reflect the views of the European Union.