EU highlights poultry sector’s AMR measures during awareness week
Regulators outline antibiotic rules as standards compared with South Korea
25 November 2025
1 minute read
By: To mark World Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) Awareness Week, the European Union co-financed the European Poultry – From Our Farms to Your Tables information and promotional campaign. According to a recent press release, the initiative aims to draw attention to measures European poultry producers say they are taking to reduce antimicrobial resistance.
The EU bans the use of antibiotics in animal production except when treatment is necessary due to illness. According to EU rules, treatment must be carried out under veterinary supervision and must follow withdrawal periods designed to ensure residues remain within legal limits. Prevention and welfare are identified as priorities. In line with the Farm to Fork strategy, the EU has said it intends to further reduce antimicrobial use while maintaining food safety standards and full traceability.
Producers say preventive measures include strict on-farm biosecurity, vaccination programmes tailored to disease risk, daily flock-health monitoring, and attention to water, feed quality and housing conditions such as ventilation and lighting. Medicines remain a treatment option under veterinary oversight when medically justified. The approach is intended to support flock health and limit antimicrobial resistance.
EU and national legislation regulate the use of veterinary medicines and the sale of meat. Authorities state that these controls are designed to ensure poultry meat placed on the market remains within established residue limits.
South Korea – a convergent approach
Antibiotic growth promoters in animal feed have been banned in South Korea since July 1, 2011. Their use is permitted only for therapeutic purposes under veterinary supervision. The country also applies the Positive List System (PLS): if no maximum residue limit (MRL) is set, a default threshold of 0.01 ppm (0.01 mg/kg) applies. Regulators say these rules aim to support food safety and transparency in the supply chain.
European production methods, based on veterinary supervision, traceability and risk assessment, broadly align with South Korean requirements. EU officials say the bloc’s standards meet Korea’s PLS and MRL rules, allowing European poultry products to be traded under the existing system.
