Commission Implementing Decision (EU) 2020/1729 of 17 November 2020 on the monitoring and reporting of antimicrobial resistance in zoonotic and commensal bacteria and repealing Implementing Decision 2013/652/EU (notified under document C(2020) 7894) (Only the English version is authentic) (Text with EEA relevance)

1 This Decision lays down harmonised rules for the period 2021-2027 for the monitoring and reporting of antimicrobial resistance (‘AMR’) to be carried out by Member States in accordance with Article 7(3) and 9(1) of Directive 2003/99/EC and Annex II (B) and Annex IV thereto.

2 The monitoring and reporting of AMR shall cover the following bacteria: (a) Salmonella spp.; (b) Campylobacter coli (C. coli); (c) Campylobacter jejuni (C. jejuni); (d) Indicator commensal Escherichia coli (E. coli); (e) Salmonella spp. and E. coli producing the following enzymes: (i) Extended Spectrum β-Lactamases (ESBL); (ii) AmpC β-Lactamases (AmpC); (iii) Carbapenemases (CP).

3 The monitoring and reporting of AMR may cover indicator commensal Enterococcus faecalis (E. faecalis) and Enterococcus faecium (E. faecium).

4 The monitoring and reporting of AMR shall cover the following food-producing animal populations and food: (a) broilers; (b) laying hens; (c) fattening turkeys; (d) bovine animals under one year of age; (e) fattening pigs; (f) fresh meat from broilers; (g) fresh meat from turkeys; (h) fresh meat from pigs; (i) fresh meat from bovine animals.

5 Member States shall monitor and report AMR in specific combinations of bacteria/antimicrobial substances/food-producing animal populations and fresh meat derived thereof in accordance with Articles 3 and 4.

For the purposes of this Decision, the following definitions shall apply: (a) the definitions laid down in Regulation (EU) 2017/625 of the European Parliament and of the Council ; (b) the definitions laid down in Commission Regulation (EC) No 2073/2005 ; (c) the definitions laid down in Regulation (EC) No 853/2004 of the European Parliament and of the Council ; (d) the definitions laid down in Regulation (EC) No 2160/2003 of the European Parliament and of the Council ; (e) the definitions laid down in Directive 2003/99/EC; (f) the definitions laid down in Regulation (EU) 2019/6 of the European Parliament and of the Council ; (g) ‘slaughter batch’ means a group of animals originating from the same herd, raised together under the same conditions and sent to the slaughterhouse on the same day.

1 Member States shall sample the different food-producing animal populations and fresh meat derived thereof, as referred to in Article 1(4), and test the bacterial isolates obtained therefrom for antimicrobial susceptibility in accordance with the technical requirements set out in Part A of the Annex. However, for the monitoring of Salmonella spp. in populations of broilers, laying hens and fattening turkeys, Member States may use bacterial isolates already obtained within the sampling framework of the national control programmes provided for in Article 5 of Regulation (EC) No 2160/2003.

2 National reference laboratories for AMR, or other laboratories designated by the competent authority in accordance with Article 37 of Regulation (EU) 2017/625, shall be responsible for carrying-out: (a) the antimicrobial susceptibility testing of bacterial isolates, referred to in paragraph 1, in accordance with the technical requirements set out in point 4 of Part A of the Annex; (b) the specific monitoring of ESBL-, AmpC- or CP-producing E. coli in accordance with the technical requirements set out in point 5 of Part A of the Annex; (c) the alternative method referred to in point 6 of Part A of the Annex.

Member States shall report the results of their AMR monitoring to the Commission annually, in accordance with the requirements of Part B of the Annex. Member States shall also assess the results of their annual AMR monitoring and include that assessment in the report on trends and sources of zoonoses, zoonotic agents and antimicrobial resistance provided for in Article 9(1) of Directive 2003/99/EC.

The European Food Safety Authority shall publish the national isolate-based quantitative antimicrobial resistance data and results of the analyses reported in accordance with Article 4.

Implementing Decision 2013/652/EU is hereby repealed.

This Decision shall apply from 1 January 2021.

This Decision is addressed to the Member States.