European Surveillance of Veterinary Antimicrobial Consumption (ESVAC)
Table of contents
- Interactive ESVAC database
- Annual report on sales of veterinary antimicrobial medicinal products
- Trends by country
- Reporting of antimicrobial sales and use in animals (updated)
- Stratifying sales data by animal species
- Sales data reporting form and protocol
- Population correction unit
- Standardised units of measurement
- Reporting data by animal species
- ESVAC strategy 2016 - 2020
- ESVAC meetings
- Documents
The European Surveillance of Veterinary Antimicrobial Consumption (ESVAC) project collects information on how antimicrobial medicines are used in animals across the European Union (EU). This type of information is essential to identify possible risk factors that could lead to the development and spread of antimicrobial resistance in animals.
The European Medicines Agency (EMA) started this project in September 2009, following a request from the European Commission to develop a harmonised approach for the collection and reporting of data on the use of antimicrobial agents in animals from EU and European Economic Area (EEA) Member States.
Voluntary participation in the ESVAC project has increased from 9 to 31 reporting countries since 2010.
The interactive ESVAC database allows users to access a summary of the specific ESVAC data they are interested in, including data for a specific country or sales of a particular antimicrobial class.
Users can use the database to customise charts, maps and graphs.
Access the database directly via the button below:
The annual ESVAC report presents data on the volume of sales of veterinary antimicrobial medicinal products collected from the 31 countries of the ESVAC network. It also highlights key changes and trends over time.
Scientists, veterinarians and other animal healthcare professionals, risk assessors and policy makers in Member States use the results of the annual report as a reference for antimicrobial policies and for guidance on the responsible use of antimicrobials.
ESVAC 2021 reportThe latest ESVAC report, published in November 2022, shows that sales of antimicrobials for use in food-producing animals in Europe fell considerably since 2011. Overall, most participating countries have been successful in reducing the use of antimicrobials in food-producing animals. The latest results show the potential in other countries as well. For the 25 countries providing sales data continuously between 2011 and 2021, sales fell by 47% over this period. Sales have fallen particularly sharply for antimicrobials in AMEG Category B, also classified by the World Health Organization as critically important in human medicine:
Since 2011, sales decreased in 22 countries by a range between 5% and 65%. However, 1 country saw only a minor reduction in sales while 2 countries saw sales increase by more than 5%. The EU Farm to Fork strategy aims to bring a 50% reduction in total sales of antimicrobials for farmed animals and aquaculture by 2030 compared with 2018 figures. By 2021, EU Member States had already achieved around one third of this overall reduction target, as shown in the enclosed visual. The metrics featured for the years 2018 (118,3), 2021 (96,6) and 2030 (59,2) show sales in miligram of active substance sold by population correction unit (mg / PCU). For more information, see Population correction unit. |
An overview of country-specific trends in the volume of sales of veterinary antimicrobial medicinal products between 2010 and 2021 is available in the country reports below.
Each one of the 31 countries has provided information corresponding to their data, and each section presents changes of sales by antimicrobial class, along with a brief summary and discussion of the data.
Country reports on sales trends (2010-2021)
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Guidance is available to assist national competent authorities with their implementation of updated legislative requirements for reporting antimicrobial sales and use in animals.
This is in line with Article 57 of the Regulation (EU) 2019/6, Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2021/578 and Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2022/209.
These documents contain technical requirements that Members States need in order to collect data on antimicrobials, as foreseen in the legislation.
They were developed by EMA together with experts from the ESVAC network.
The Agency will update these documents further over the next years, to reflect the collection of new data.
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Antimicrobial Sales and Use (ASU) data reporting protocol - Part 1 Reporting volume of sales (PDF/759.71 KB)
First published: 09/01/2023
EMA/258839/2022 -
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Template - Antimicrobial Sales and Use (ASU) data reporting template - Part 1 Reporting volume of sales (XLSX/100.75 KB)
First published: 09/01/2023
EMA/790460/2022 -
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Antimicrobial Sales and Use (ASU) data reporting protocol - Part 2 Reporting use data (PDF/783.54 KB)
First published: 09/01/2023
EMA/683217/2022 -
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Template - Antimicrobial Sales and Use (ASU) data reporting template - Part 2 Reporting use data (XLSX/101.2 KB)
First published: 09/01/2023
EMA/790486/2022 -
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Antimicrobial use data reporting per animal categories (numerator) - Manual for reporting the data to EMA (PDF/312.6 KB)
First published: 25/05/2022
EMA/757638/2021 -
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Draft concept paper on the reporting of antimicrobial sales and use in animals at the EU level (PDF/124.88 KB)
Draft: consultation closed
First published: 12/11/2020
Consultation dates: 12/11/2020 to 31/01/2021
EMA/222040/2020
In July 2018, EMA launched a project for stratifying sales data of veterinary antimicrobials by animal species. This enables an approximate estimation of consumption by different species, by allocating a proportion of the total sales to each species a veterinary antimicrobial is used in.
EMA has published a protocol for collecting sales data for stratification:
The protocol is based on ongoing experience with a pilot project with six volunteer Member States that has been testing this methodology and possible approaches to be used in EU/EEA Member States.
To obtain standardised data, participating countries provide their sales data of veterinary antimicrobials and animal population data based on a data reporting protocol and data collection form, which are available below. EMA processes the data according to the protocol.
The protocol outlines the:
EMA and the national ESVAC contact points revised the data reporting protocol in March 2021, including updated ESVAC conversation factors.
Until further notice, the submission of antimicrobial sales data for 2020 and onwards should follow the revised protocol.
- data submission requirements;
- instructions for data quality confirmation;
- conversion factors EMA uses when processing the data.
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European Surveillance of Veterinary Antimicrobial Consumption (ESVAC) web based data collection form (ZIP/173.94 KB)
First published: 12/06/2020
Last updated: 13/02/2023
EMA/307386/2020 Rev. 4 -
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European Surveillance of Veterinary Antimicrobial Consumption (ESVAC) web based sales and and animal population data collection protocol (PDF/881.85 KB)
First published: 19/06/2020
Last updated: 13/04/2021
EMA/210691/2015 Rev. 4
The reporting forms and protocols that had been in use in previous years are available for reference below.
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(Superseded) European Surveillance of Veterinary Antimicrobial Consumption (ESVAC) web-based data collection form (2020) (XLSX/155.67 KB)
First published: 20/06/2016
Last updated: 12/06/2020
EMA/307386/2020 Rev. 3 -
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(Superseded) European Surveillance of Veterinary Antimicrobial Consumption (ESVAC) web-based sales and animal population data collection protocol (2020) (PDF/609.83 KB)
First published: 16/07/2019
Last updated: 19/06/2020
EMA/210691/2015 Rev. 3 -
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(Superseded) European Surveillance of Veterinary Antimicrobial Consumption (ESVAC) web-based data collection form (2016) (XLSX/151.85 KB)
First published: 07/07/2015
Last updated: 20/06/2016
EMA/377366/2016 Rev. 2 -
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(Superseded) European Surveillance of Veterinary Antimicrobial Consumption (ESVAC) web-based sales and animal population data collection protocol (2019) (PDF/553.69 KB)
First published: 07/07/2015
Last updated: 16/07/2019
EMA/210691/2015 Rev. 2
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(Superseded) European Surveillance of Veterinary Antimicrobial Consumption (ESVAC) data collection form (template) (XLSX/87.28 KB)
First published: 20/04/2010
Last updated: 18/04/2013 -
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(Superseded) European Surveillance of Veterinary Antimicrobial Consumption (ESVAC) data collection protocol (PDF/371.72 KB)
First published: 20/04/2010
Last updated: 18/04/2013
EMA/85298/2012
The amounts of veterinary antimicrobial agents sold are linked to the animal demographics in each country. In order to normalise the sales data for the animal population that can be subjected to treatment with antimicrobial agents, a population correction unit (PCU) is used in the ESVAC as a proxy for the size of the animal population. The way the PCU is calculated can be seen in Appendix 2 of the first ESVAC report.
To enable a more detailed analysis of trends in antimicrobial consumption, ESVAC is preparing a system for the collection of harmonised and standardised data on consumption by animal species.
As a first step, EMA has established standardised units of measurement for reporting antimicrobial consumption in specific animal species, called the 'defined daily dose' and 'defined course dose' for animals. For more information, see:
In February 2018, EMA published guidance on reporting antimicrobial consumption data by animal species and an updated questions-and-answers document (Q&A) clarifying the rationale for certain recommendations, taking into account comments received during public consultation:
Guidance on collection and provision of national data on antimicrobial use by animal species/categories
Q&As for the guidance on collection and provision of national data on antimicrobial use by animal species/categories
Overview of comments received on draft 'Guidance on provision of data on antimicrobial use by animal species from national data collection systems'
On 26 April 2017, the European Commission organised a workshop with EMA on data collection on consumption of veterinary antimicrobials in Europe. There was general consensus among stakeholders on the need to collect data on antimicrobial use by animal species, and on the benefits of such data collection.
EMA has developed an ESVAC strategy for 2016-2020. The strategy takes into account stakeholder feedback provided during public consultation:
ESVAC vision and strategy 2016-2020
Overview of comments received on ESVAC vision and strategy 2016-2020
Draft ESVAC vision and strategy 2016-2020
During the next five years, ESVAC will continue collecting and publishing overall sales data from as many EU and EEA countries as possible.
The strategy aims to enable the analysis of European-level trends in antimicrobial consumption per animal species, using data that is standardised between countries.
EMA will bring together the best European expertise for harmonising data collection and analysis methodologies. It will provide guidance on the collection of data per species, with a specific focus on the three major food-producing ones: pigs, cattle and broilers (poultry).
The Agency holds meetings on monitoring the consumption of veterinary antimicrobial agents in Europe, bringing together representatives of Member States and other stakeholders:
- ESVAC stakeholders meeting (02/03/2016)
- ESVAC stakeholders meeting (03/03/2015)
- ESVAC workshop on testing of system for data collection by species (09/02/2015)
- ESVAC stakeholders meeting (05/02/2014)
- ESVAC stakeholders meeting (18/03/2013)
- ESVAC annual network meeting 2012 (14-15/02/2012)
Report from the Workshop on collection of data on antimicrobial agents by species and on unit(s) of measurement (13-14/10/2011)
- Meeting with stakeholders on monitoring sales of veterinary antimicrobial agents in Europe (28/09/2010)
- Meeting on monitoring of sales of veterinary antimicrobial agents in Europe (25/11/2009)
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Terms of reference 2016 - 2017: ESVAC species Expert Advisory Group (PDF/175.7 KB)
First published: 30/05/2017
Last updated: 30/05/2017
EMA/196621/2015 -
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ESVAC sales Expert Advisory Group: Terms of reference 2021-2022 (PDF/291.93 KB)
First published: 30/05/2017
Last updated: 10/03/2021
EMA/235015/2015 Rev. 2 -
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Draft concept paper on guidance for the collection of data on antimicrobial consumption by species from national data collection systems (PDF/125.77 KB)
Draft: consultation closed
First published: 13/07/2016
Last updated: 13/07/2016
Consultation dates: 13/07/2016 to 30/09/2016
EMA/321085/2016 -
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Report on ESVAC trial for collecting data on consumption of antimicrobial agents in pigs (PDF/467.79 KB)
First published: 25/05/2016
Last updated: 25/05/2016
EMA/836856/2015 -
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Overview of comments received on draft ESVAC reflection paper on collecting data on consumption of antimicrobial agents per animal species, on technical units of measurement and indicators for reporting consumption of an... (PDF/540.26 KB)
First published: 15/10/2013
Last updated: 15/10/2013
EMA/171117/2013 -
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Revised European Surveillance of Veterinary Antimicrobial Consumption (ESVAC) reflection paper on collecting data on consumption of antimicrobial agents per animal species, on technical units of measurement and indicator... (PDF/314.62 KB)
Draft: consultation closed
First published: 19/12/2012
Last updated: 15/10/2013
Consultation dates: 18/12/2012 to 15/03/2013
EMA/286416/2012 Rev. 1 -
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(Superseded) European Surveillance of Veterinary Antimicrobial Consumption (ESVAC) data collection protocol (PDF/371.72 KB)
First published: 20/04/2010
Last updated: 18/04/2013
EMA/85298/2012 -
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The ATCvet classification system (PDF/36.99 KB)
First published: 20/04/2010
Last updated: 24/03/2011 -
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(Superseded) European Surveillance of Veterinary Antimicrobial Consumption (ESVAC) data collection form (template) (XLSX/87.28 KB)
First published: 20/04/2010
Last updated: 18/04/2013 -
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Examples on how to fill in the European Surveillance of Veterinary Antimicrobial Consumption (ESVAC) data collection form (XLS/161.5 KB)
First published: 20/04/2010
Last updated: 29/03/2012 -
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Principles for ensuring the confidentiality of data supplied to the European Surveillance of Veterinary Antimicrobial Agent Consumption (ESVAC) project (PDF/73 KB)
First published: 24/03/2011
Last updated: 10/08/2016
EMA/327935/2010 Rev. 1