The European Commission (EC) has declared its “renewed commitment” in tackling antimicrobial resistance (AMR) with the announcement that it will publish a new action plan next year, following on from the conclusion of its 2011-2016 AMR programme.
The new plan will take the form of a Commission communication to the European Parliament and the EU Council, with a clear focus on supporting member states, particularly in establishing, implementing and monitoring their national action plans.
The EC also said the 2017 programme will bring together EU funds and instruments in order to promote innovation and research against AMR.
“Since 1999, the EU has invested over €1 billion (£900m) in research projects to tackle the public threat of antimicrobial resistance,” said the European Commissioner for Research, Science and Innovation, Carlos Moedas (pictured above).
The commissioner also said that, alongside the development of its new plan, the EC will soon be announcing the winner of its €1m (£900,000) Horizon prize, which addresses the issues surrounding the unnecessary use of antibiotics.