Healthier food systems: FAO and EU step up work against Antimicrobial Resistance

FAO officers met with colleagues from the EU Commission Directorate-General for Health and Food Safety (DG SANTE) and the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) to take stock of joint activities and explore new opportunities for collaboration, especially in the area of Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR). FAO and the DG SANTE have already signed a letter of intent to strengthen their collaboration on this issue.

In the context of the Farm to Fork Strategy, the partners discussed tackling AMR through a One Health Approach. They also examined the AMR-related work of the FAO-OIE-World Health Organization (WHO) Tripartite and FAO’s action plan on AMR activities in context of the partnership up until 2025.

FAO also briefed participants on the first-ever Infopoint being prepared by Tripartite partners for 24 November (from 14:00 to 15:30 CET). The Infopoint, titled “AMR: Investing a One Health Approach for human, animal and environmental health,” will mark World Antimicrobial Awareness Week and raise awareness on the urgency of tackling AMR. The event will enable the Tripartite to showcase its work, with a particular focus on the ongoing EU and EU Member States programmes and best practices.

Participants also noted the series of webinars being organized in November by the Member of the European Parliament (MEP) Interest Group on AMR  in the run-up to World Antimicrobial Awareness Week. On 16 November, the MEP interest Group on AMR will hold the event, “Tackling the dependence of EU food systems on antimicrobials,” hosted by MEP Sarah Wiener, a member of the European Parliamentary Alliance against Hunger and Malnutrition. The event w will have the participation Keith Sumption, FAO Chief Veterinary Officer, Sabine Juelicher, DG SANTE Director for Food and Feed Safety, and Rens van Dobbenburgh, President of the Federation of Veterinarians of Europe (FVE).