This document is an excerpt from the EUR-Lex website
Document 32023H0622(01)
Combating antimicrobial resistance in a ‘one health’ approach – Council recommendation
A key tenet of the recommendation is that AMR is a ‘one health’ issue, which means that it encompasses human health, animal health, plant health and the environment. As a multifaceted cross-border threat to health, AMR cannot be tackled by one sector independently or by individual countries alone.
The recommendation encourages Member States to:
It welcomes the Commission’s role in:
Identified as one of the top three priority health threats facing the EU, AMR is what occurs when potentially dangerous microorganisms, such as bacteria, evolve and stop responding to antibiotics that had previously been successful in treating them. It is estimated that more than 35,000 people die each year in the EU as a direct consequence of an infection due to bacteria resistant to antibiotics. AMR:
For further information, see:
Council Recommendation on stepping up EU actions to combat antimicrobial resistance in a One Health approach (OJ C 220, 22.6.2023, pp. 1–20).
Regulation (EU) 2022/2371 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 23 November 2022 on serious cross-border threats to health and repealing Decision No 1082/2013/EU (OJ L 314, 6.12.2022, pp. 26–63).
Regulation (EU) 2021/522 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 24 March 2021 establishing a Programme for the Union’s action in the field of health (‘EU4Health Programme’) for the period 2021-2027, and repealing Regulation (EU) No 282/2014 (OJ L 107, 26.3.2021, pp. 1–29).
Communication from the Commission to the Council and the European Parliament – A European One Health Action Plan against Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) (COM(2017) 339 final, 29.6.2017).
Commission notice – EU Guidelines for the prudent use of antimicrobials in human health (OJ C 212, 1.7.2017, pp. 1–12).
Regulation (EU) 2016/429 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 9 March 2016 on transmissible animal diseases and amending and repealing certain acts in the area of animal health (‘Animal Health Law’) (OJ L 84, 31.3.2016, pp. 1–208).
Successive amendments to Regulation (EU) 2016/429 have been incorporated into the original text. This consolidated version is of documentary value only.
Communication from the Commission to the European Parliament and the Council – Action plan against the rising threats from Antimicrobial Resistance (COM(2011) 748 final, 15.11.2011).
Council Recommendation of 9 June 2009 on patient safety, including the prevention and control of healthcare associated infections (OJ C 151, 3.7.2009, pp. 1–6).
Council Recommendation 2002/77/EC of 15 November 2001 on the prudent use of antimicrobial agents in human medicine (OJ L 34, 5.2.2002, pp. 13–16).
last update 12.06.2024