EU member states have backed an updated list of non-EU countries allowed to export food-producing animals and animal products to the bloc.
The countries included have shown they comply with EU restrictions on the use of antimicrobials — medicines such as antibiotics used to treat infections — in livestock, the European Commission announced on Tuesday.
It stated that it assessed each country’s compliance and guarantees before drawing up the list.
Under EU rules, antimicrobials cannot be used in food-producing animals to promote growth or increase yield, and animals cannot be treated with antimicrobials that are reserved for treating infections in people.
The updated list of authorised countries is due to be formally adopted in the coming days.
Import rules to apply from September 2026
The new import rules linked to the list will apply from 3 September 2026.
Antimicrobial resistance — when microbes such as bacteria evolve so that medicines stop working — is one of the biggest public health threats, the Commission added.
