0
New rules will ban prophylactic, i.e. preventive, use of antibiotic medicated feed. Metaphylactic use, i.e. treating the whole group of animals when one is infected, will be allowed only when the risk of spread of infection is high and there is no appropriate alternative.
MEPs insisted that antibiotics must under no circumstances be used to enhance the performance of animals or to replace poor animal husbandry. Prescriptions for medicated feed containing antibiotics should be always issued by a veterinarian after a proper physical examination and diagnosis.
To ensure efficient fight against antimicrobial resistance MEPs pushed for extending new rules on medicated feed (prepared by feed mills or professionals) to all animal medicines administered orally, whether via feed or drinking water, including so-called 'top dressing' (prepared by farmers). The agreed text instructs the Commission to consult the European Medicines Agency and then establish appropriate rules that would close existing loopholes.
Specific science-based cross-contamination limits
One year after the regulation becomes applicable, the Commission should define science-based specific maximum levels for cross-contaminations of various active medicinal substances from feed to targeted animals to the next batch of non-targeted feed. European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) should be consulted to this end.
Next steps
Once approved by the Agriculture Committee, the Parliament and the Council, the regulation will be published in the EU’s Official Journal. It would enter into force twenty days thereafter and should become applicable three years later.
Background
The European Parliament endorsed on 8 March 2016 in a final vote the Animal Health Law, which updates measures to tackle outbreaks of animal diseases such as avian flu, African swine fever or foot and mouth disease. These new rules put more emphasis on prevention and oblige all farmers, animal owners and traders to apply the principles of good animal husbandry and prudent use of veterinary medicines, including antimicrobials.
In line with this principle, the text of the future veterinary medicines regulations was agreed by the Parliament’s and Council’s negotiators on 5 June 2018. New veterinary medicines rules, together with the medicated feed ones, will restrict the use of existing antimicrobials, ban routine collective and preventive antibiotic treatment of animals and stimulate research into new medicines.
Tuesday June 19, 2018/ European Parliament/ European Union.
http://www.europarl.europa.eu
