As of today, the EU Regulations on Veterinary Medicines and Medicated Feed are due for application in the 27 EU Member States. Widely promoted by the European Commission as a key tool to address the challenge of antimicrobial resistance (AMR), the new rules aim to support innovation, reduce administrative burden for the animal health sector and with that, improve availability of veterinary medicines across Europe.

Roxane Feller, Secretary General of AnimalhealthEurope commented:
“We cannot take our health, the health of our animals, nor our safe and secure food supply for granted. As needs, challenges and scientific developments advance, so must the regulations overseeing the products and services required to address these advances.

We very much appreciate the many information sessions offered by the European Medicines Agency to ensure our membership and the wider animal health sector is up-to-date on what the new rules entail and how they should be applied. And we welcome the enormous efforts required to put in place the IT infrastructure, including the electronic portals and three new EU databases, covering products, manufacturing and pharmacovigilance.

We also recognise the vast amount of work carried out by the European Commission in preparing, approving and publishing the high number of Implementing and Delegated Acts linked to the legislation. We look forward now to ensuring that Europe’s veterinarians, farmers and other animal owners will be supported with access to a wide range of tools to safeguard animal health and welfare, respond rapidly to disease outbreaks, and ensure sustainable food production.”

–      ENDS –

Notes for editors:

–      Read more on the changes as regards antibiotics in this article: Strengthening responsible use of antibiotics in animal health