Ambitious new AMR recommendations adopted by EU Member States today

2023-06-13

Today at the EPSCO meeting in Brussels, the European Council adopted new Council Recommendations on antimicrobial resistance. The level of ambition and the swift adoption of these recommendations are a testament to the determination of the Swedish Presidency of the Council to make antimicrobial resistance a central political priority during these last 6 months.

The Employment, Social Policy, Health and Consumer Affairs Council configuration (EPSCO) Council works to increase employment levels and improve living and working conditions, ensuring a high level of human health and consumer protection in the EU.

European Union to scale up efforts to address AMR

ReAct Europe’s Director, Anna Sjöblom says:

“I am very pleased to see the EU Member States’ commitment to scale up efforts to address antimicrobial resistance in Europe and globally. I am particularly encouraged by the clear targets to reduce antibiotic consumption and certain resistant infections and by EU’s ambitions at the global level.

The Member States’ intention to support work on antibiotic resistance in low- and middle-income countries including through actors like ReAct, ICARS and GARDP is a very important step.”

UNGA High-Level meeting on AMR

Now the focus should be on the UN General Assembly High-Level meeting in September next year which will likely be a tipping point for global collective action on antibiotic resistance.

Anna Sjöblom continues:

“To succeed towards this end, engagement of low- and middle-income countries and the broad mobilization of civil society will be central, and this is exactly where ReAct’s global network has its strength.

The Council’s recognition of our work is therefore incredibly timely and important for us.”

Press release Council of the European Union: Tackling antimicrobial resistance: Council adopts recommendation

ReAct – a global network

Based on five continents ReAct advocates for the adoption of a holistic view of the problem of antibiotic resistance and solutions that engage all of society. We believe that sustainable access to affordable and effective prevention and treatment of bacterial infections is part of everyone’s right to health.

ReAct takes a global perspective by advocating that responses and solutions must be informed by and adapted to countries’ individual contexts and realities. Learn more about ReAct.