EUROPEAN UNION REVIEW OF LEGISLATION ON VETERINARY
MEDICINAL PRODUCTS – SPECIFIC TRADE CONCERN 446

SUBMISSION BY THE UNITED STATES of america

The following submission, received on 19 November 2024, is the statement made by the United States of America at the 13-15 November 2024 WTO SPS Committee, and is being circulated at the request of the Delegation of the United States of America.

_______________

1.  The United States acknowledges the EU's 28 June notification _G/SPS/N/EU/778 on the publication of a third-country list for compliance with Article 118 of EU regulation 2019/6. We note that the European Union is allowing trade partners to either delete or cross out the new attestations until 3 September 2026, and we appreciate this flexibility.

2.  However, we must reiterate our concerns that Article 118 does not appear to be an appropriate or science-based way to address the issue of anti-microbial resistance (AMR). Sanitary and phytosanitary measures must be science- and risk-based.

3.  The European Union has yet to provide scientific evidence to support restriction of products derived from animals treated with antimicrobials prior to implementation of Article 118. Additionally, the European Union still has not provided scientific evidence that demonstrates that this measure, particularly with regard to its restrictions on the use of non-medically important antimicrobials to promote growth, will significantly and effectively reduce the risk of foodborne AMR, and we again ask the European Union to do so.

4.  As we continue to move forward, we look forward to continued engagement with the European Union to mitigate any potential trade disruptions, and the United States remains available to further discuss implementation of Article 118.

__________