As of 3 September 2026, non-EU countries wishing to export live animals and products of animal origin intended for human consumption must demonstrate that they comply with the same requirements on the use of antimicrobials that have applied to Union producers since January 2022, pursuant to Article 118 of Regulation (EU) 2019/6 on veterinary medicinal products.
Requirement under Article 118
Article 118 extends to imports the same rules that the EU applies to its own livestock farmers and producers. Specifically, exporting third countries may not:
- use antimicrobials for growth promotion purposes or to increase productive yield in animals,
- use certain antimicrobials that the EU reserves exclusively for the treatment of certain infections in humans, in order to preserve their efficacy in human medicine.
Only those third countries that provide sufficient regulatory guarantees and prove compliance with these conditions may continue exporting food-producing animals and derived products to the EU.
List of authorized countries and regions
The European Commission draws up and maintains a list of third countries or regions authorized to export certain categories of animals and products under Article 118. This list:
- is reviewed periodically by the Commission and submitted to a vote by the Member States before its formal adoption.
- is product-specific: a country may be authorized to export, for example, beef, but not eggs or honey, depending on whether it has demonstrated compliance for each category.
The list has been included in Annex XVIa to Implementing Regulation (EU) 2021/405, by Implementing Regulation (EU) 2026/1189, and applies from 3 September 2026. Countries not yet included in it may be added in the future if they meet the requirements and provide the documentation needed for the Commission to assess their compliance.
Products covered by the list
The controls affect the following categories of animals and products of animal origin intended for human consumption, included in the list in Annex XVIa:
- Bovine animals,
- Ovine and caprine animals,
- Porcine animals,
- Equidae,
- Poultry,
- Aquaculture products,
- Milk,
- Eggs,
- Rabbit,
- Farmed game,
- Honey,
- Casings.
Symbols used in the list
The list uses two symbols to indicate the type of guarantee provided:
| Symbol | Meaning |
|---|---|
| X | The third country or region has provided the Commission with evidence and guarantees of compliance with the requirements for the species or commodity indicated. |
| Δ | The third country or region guarantees that the products exported to the EU originate only from animals or products from EU Member States, or from third countries/regions already authorized for that species or commodity under Article 118. |
A blank cell means that the country or region is not authorized to export that specific species or product under Article 118.
Countries currently excluded from the list
The countries that had an approved residue control plan but have been excluded from the list are:
- Brazil: excluded for bovine animals, equidae, poultry, aquaculture, eggs, honey and casings. This represents the greatest trade impact, given the weight of its meat exports to the EU.
- Kazakhstan: excluded only for honey.
- Panama: excluded only for aquaculture.
- Other countries such as the United Arab Emirates and Mozambique have also been excluded as exporting countries due to a lack of regulatory guarantees and loss of status in the general sanitary Annex, respectively.
How the control system works
Compliance with Article 118 is verified through the following steps:
- The third country or region must appear on the list for the relevant species or commodity, where applicable.
- The animals or products must comply with the applicable EU requirements.
- The consignment must be accompanied by the required official certificate, which must now include a new specific declaration on the use of antimicrobials.
- The consignment is subject to the official controls provided for in EU legislation.
The main change for operators is the inclusion of this specific declaration on the use of antimicrobials in products imported into the EU.
The inspection services of the Member States will continue to carry out the usual border controls on goods entering the EU, verifying that the health certificates include the new declaration relating to the use of antimicrobials and that the exporting country appears on the authorized list in Annex XVIa.
These border controls may include documentary, identity and physical checks on goods, which may consist of sampling, laboratory analysis, diagnostic testing and other verification activities, applied on a risk basis in accordance with EU rules on the entry of animals and products into the Union market.
Consignments that do not comply with these requirements will be refused at Union border control posts.
Nature of the measure
The new requirement forms part of the EU strategy to combat antimicrobial resistance, which health authorities consider one of the main threats to public health worldwide. This initiative falls within the "One Health" approach, which addresses human, animal and environmental health jointly. Its objective is to limit the use of antimicrobials to promote growth or increase animal yield, as well as to restrict the use of certain substances considered essential for treating human infections.
Through these measures, the EU aims to ensure that animals and products of animal origin intended for the EU market are obtained under conditions equivalent to those required of local producers regarding the use of antimicrobials.
More information
- Regulation (EU) 2019/6 on veterinary medicinal products
- Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2026/1189 of 4 June 2026 amending Implementing Regulation (EU) 2021/405 as regards the application of restrictions on the use of certain antimicrobial medicinal products and repealing Regulation (EU) 2024/2598
- EU antimicrobial rules for imports of animals and animal products
- Implementing the EU Regulation on veterinary medicines