The report covers the period between 2011 and 2014. A total of 25 countries have provided data for the entire timespan.

A decrease of 2.4 per cent in total sales (mg/ population correction unit – PCU, PCU meaning the estimated weight of livestock and slaughtered animals) of antimicrobial veterinary products was observed between those years, despite a considerable increase in one of the European countries in which the most sales were registered due to an improvement in data collection system. In 24 of these countries that provided data for this four-year period a decrease of 12 per cent was noted.

The trends give reassurance that Member States continue to adopt a more responsible attitude towards the use of antibiotics in animals, EMA said.

Substantial antimicrobial usage declines in some countries means there is further potential for a decline in other countres, EMA added. Despite low overall decrease in sales of veterinary antimicrobial products, data demonstrate that actions taken in the fight against antimicrobial resistance by the Member States are making a difference.