The European Parliament adopted by 685 votes to 3, with 7 abstentions, a legislative resolution on the proposal for a regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council amending Regulation (EU) 2017/625 as regards official controls on animals and products of animal origin exported from third countries to the Union to ensure compliance with the prohibition of certain uses of antimicrobials.
The proposed Regulation aims to amend the Regulation on official controls to cover the verification of compliance with the rules on the use of antimicrobials in animals and products of animal origin entering the EU.
The European Parliament's position adopted at first reading under the ordinary legislative procedure amends the Commission's proposal as follows
Cross-border dimension of the antimicrobial resistance problem
The amended text underlines, in a recital, that in accordance with Regulation (EU) 2019/6, a more prudent and responsible use of antimicrobials in animals is ensured, inter alia, by prohibiting the use of antimicrobials to promote growth and increase yield and by prohibiting the use of antimicrobials reserved for the treatment of certain infections in humans.
The amending Regulation refers to recital 49 of Regulation (EU) 2019/6 which stresses the importance of taking into account the international dimension of the development of antimicrobial resistance by taking non-discriminatory and proportionate measures, while respecting the obligations of the Union under international agreements.
Specific rules for the performance of official controls
No epidemiological information has been reported which could link public health risks to echinoderms that are not filter feeders. For that reason, the possibility laid down in Article 18(7), point (g), of Regulation (EU) 2017/625 to derogate from the requirement to classify the production and relaying areas should be extended to all echinoderms which are not filter feeders, for example to those belonging to the class Echinoidea, and not be limited to Holothuroidea.
The regulation therefore specifies that the conditions for the classification and control of classified production and relaying areas to be defined by the Commission should apply to live bivalve molluscs, echinoderms, tunicates and marine gastropods, except those marine gastropods and echinoderms that are not filter feeders.
Specific hygiene rules for food of animal origin
Regulation (EC) No 853/2004 of the European Parliament and of the Council excludes from its scope the direct supply, by the producer, of small quantities of meat from poultry and lagomorphs slaughtered on the farm to the final consumer or to local retail establishments directly supplying such meat to the final consumer as fresh meat.
Since the date of application of that Regulation, namely 1 January 2006, the exclusion had been extended several times to all meat from poultry and lagomorphs as a transitional measure. During the 15 years of the transitional period no significant food safety concerns caused by the activities carried out in accordance with that extension were observed. In addition, the Commission underlined the importance of shorter supply chains with a view to enhancing resilience of regional and local food systems.
The amended text therefore introduces a permanent derogation by stipulating that Regulation (EC) No 853/2004 should not apply to the direct supply of small quantities of meat from poultry and lagomorphs slaughtered on the farm by the producer to the final consumer or to local retail establishments supplying such meat directly to the final consumer.
Entry into force
The Regulation should apply from the date of its entry into force. However, Article 1(1) should apply from 28 January 2022, the date on which the Regulation on veterinary medicinal products should start to apply.