How the EU animal welfare legislation can tackle AMR – a One Health perspective

The development of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is linked to the imprudent use of antimicrobials and is fuelled by industrial farming, accounting for 70% of antimicrobial use. Tackling AMR requires a One Health approach that addresses the root causes of high antimicrobials use in intensive farming and generates co-benefits for human, animal and environmental health. On intensive farms animals are mostly of high-yield breeds and are exposed to stressors, which leads to immunosuppression, increasing susceptibility to infections that need antimicrobial therapy. To combat AMR the EU Commission adopted legislation prohibiting the use of antimicrobials to compensate for poor husbandry and management. However, there is a gap in policy regarding animal welfare improvements necessary to reduce the need for antimicrobials. We assess how the EU animal welfare legislation, under revision, can contribute to filling this gap by providing the regulatory framework for improvements needed to reduce antimicrobial use. Methods include literature review and expert interviews in an approach that integrates knowledge across the human-animal-environmental sectors. Improvements in husbandry and management (lower stocking density, outdoor access, genetic diversity, etc.) positively impact animal health and welfare, consequently reducing susceptibility to infections and antimicrobial use. By prescribing these improvements the revised animal welfare legislation can have a synergistic effect with the Veterinary Products Regulation, in line with the Farm to Fork strategy, and provide the regulatory framework for higher animal welfare standards that reduce antimicrobial use. The positive correlation between higher animal welfare and the reduced need for antimicrobials demonstrates the urgency of improving welfare in farming as a key strategy to limit AMR. It builds the case for an ambitious revision of the EU animal welfare legislation to protect animal and human health in line with One Health. KEY MESSAGES: • The revised EU animal welfare legislation can become a relevant policy in tackling AMR by providing the regulatory framework for high animal welfare standards neded to reduce antimicrobials in farming. • Tackling AMR requires a One Health approach addressing the root causes of high antimicrobial use in intensive farming: the poor welfare of animals, which increases their susceptibility to infections.