Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is the ability of micro-organisms to survive or grow despite antimicrobial agent that normally inhibits or kills that micro-organism.
AMR has also significant costs, including on healthcare systems.
In 2019, the World Health Organization (WHO) declared antimicrobial resistance as one of the top 10 global public health threats facing humanity. In July 2022, the Commission and the Member States, identified AMR as one of the top three priority health threats.
Overall, the latest data show significant increasing trends in the number of infections and attributable deaths for almost all bacterium–antibiotic resistance combinations, especially in healthcare settings.
On 26 April 2023, the European Commission adopted a proposal for a Council Recommendation on stepping up EU actions to combat antimicrobial resistance in a One Health approach, accompanied by a Commission Staff Working Document, as part of the pharmaceutical package.
This proposal for a Council Recommendation extends and complements the 2017 EU One Health Action Plan against AMR in all three dimensions of the One Health spectrum to maximize synergies and attain a strong and effective response against AMR across the EU.
The objectives of this proposal for a Council Recommendation are to:
Input for the proposal was gathered from the following consultation, studies and reports:
In June 2017 the European Commission adopted the EU One Health Action Plan against AMR, as requested by the EU countries in the Council conclusions of 17 June 2016.
The key objectives of this plan are built on 3 main pillars:
The plan outlines over 70 actions covering human health, animal health and the environment, whose progress is regularly monitored.
As part of the implementation of the action plan, the Commission adopted EU Guidelines on the prudent use of antimicrobials in human health. The guidelines aim to reduce inappropriate use and promote the prudent use of antimicrobials in people.
They target all actors responsible for or playing a role in antimicrobial use. This complements the EU Guidelines on the prudent use of antimicrobials in animal health.
Between the adoption of the 2017 AMR Action Plan and the adoption of the Commission proposal for a Council Recommendation on stepping up EU actions to combat antimicrobial resistance in a One Health approach, some major initiatives have contributed to further strengthening the EU’s response to AMR.
Both the EU4Health programme and the Horizon Europe programme provide funding in the field of AMR.
The Commission's 2011 Action Plan against the rising threats from AMR contained 12 actions for implementation with EU Member States and identified 7 areas where measures were most needed:
The evaluation of the Action Plan published in October 2016 by the Commission and the contributions received during the public consultation have shown that this had a clear added value acting as a symbol of political commitment, stimulating several actions within Member States, and had served to strengthen international cooperation.
The Action Plan has also provided a framework to guide and coordinate activities on AMR at international level in the area of monitoring and surveillance and on R&D. This factsheet summarises the main points of this evaluation.
Before this evaluation, a progress report on the AMR Action Plan (2011-2016) was published in February 2015 which showed the state of play of the steps taken to address this issue.
The Commission has also compiled a detailed overview of the 12 Actions covered by the Action Plan in a Road Map (updated on November 2016), including the operational objectives, the concrete activities and the deadlines.
The AMR One-Health Network, chaired by the European Commission, includes notably government experts from the human health, animal health and environmental sectors, the relevant EU scientific agencies, stakeholders and Commission experts.
Its mission is to enhance the coordination and dialogue between the human health, veterinary and environmental sectors in the EU institutions, Member States and with stakeholders, in policies to combat Antimicrobial Resistance.
To raise awareness about AMR, the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) founded the European Antibiotic Awareness Day (EAAD) which aims to provide a platform and support for national campaigns about prudent antibiotic use.
Over the years, European Antibiotic Awareness Day - marked annually in November together with the World Antimicrobial Awareness Week organised by WHO - has developed into a platform of global reach, partnering up with many countries outside the EU as well as relevant stakeholders, in line with the Commission's "One-Health" approach to AMR.