The monitoring of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in bacterial pathogens of animals is not currently coordinated at European level. To fill this gap, experts of the European Union Joint Action on Antimicrobial Resistance and Healthcare Associated Infections (EU-JAMRAI) recommended building the European Antimicrobial Resistance Surveillance network in Veterinary medicine (EARS-Vet). In this study, we (i) identified national monitoring systems for AMR in bacterial pathogens of animals (both companion and food-producing) among 27 countries affiliated to EU-JAMRAI, (ii) described their structures and operations, and (iii) analyzed their respective strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats (SWOT). Twelve countries reported having at least one national monitoring system in place, representing an opportunity to launch EARS-Vet, but highlighting important gaps in AMR data generation in Europe. In total, 15 national monitoring systems from 11 countries were described and analyzed. They displayed diverse structures and operations, but most of them shared common weaknesses (e.g., data management and representativeness) and common threats (e.g., economic vulnerability and data access), which could be addressed collectively under EARS-Vet. This work generated useful information to countries planning to build or improve their system, by learning from others' experience. It also enabled to advance on a pragmatic harmonization strategy: EARS-Vet shall follow the European Committee on Antimicrobial Susceptibility Testing (EUCAST) standards, collect quantitative data and interpret AMR data using epidemiological cut-off values.

Agencia Española de Medicamentos y Productos Sanitarios Madrid Spain

Antimicrobial Consumption and Resistance in Animals AMCRA Brussels Belgium

Center for Gender Specific Medicine Istituto Superiore di Sanità Rome Italy

Department of Agriculture Food and the Marine Laboratories Celbridge Ireland

Department of Animal Health and Antimicrobial Strategies National Veterinary Institute Uppsala Sweden

Department of Biomolecular Health Sciences Faculty of Veterinary Medicine Utrecht University Utrecht Netherlands

Department of Public Health Policy School of Public Health University of West Attica Athens Greece

Department of Veterinary and Animal Sciences University of Copenhagen Frederiksberg Denmark

Direction Générale de l'Alimentation Bureau de la Santé Animale Paris France

Federal Office of Consumer Protection and Food Safety Berlin Germany

Finnish Food Authority Veterinary Bacteriology and Pathology Unit Helsinki Finland

Institute for State Control of Veterinary Biologicals and Medicines Brno Czechia

Institute of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Sciences Estonian University of Life Sciences Tartu Estonia

Laboratory of Animal Production Economics Department of Animal Production Ichthyology Ecology and Protection of the Environment School of Veterinary Medicine Aristotle University of Thessaloniki Thessaloniki Greece

Limerick Regional Veterinary Laboratory Department of Agriculture Food and the Marine Limerick Ireland

Ministry of Rural Development and Food Athens Greece

Norwegian Veterinary Institute Ås Norway

Royal GD Deventer Netherlands

Sciensano Veterinary Epidemiology Unit Belgian Research Centre for Health Brussels Belgium

University of Lyon French Agency for Food Environmental and Occupational Health and Safety Laboratory of Lyon Antibiotic Resistance and Bacterial Virulence Unit Lyon France

University of Lyon French Agency for Food Environmental and Occupational Health and Safety Laboratory of Lyon Epidemiology and Support to Surveillance Unit Lyon France

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Review and Analysis of National Monitoring Systems for Antimicrobial Resistance in Animal Bacterial Pathogens in Europe: A Basis for the Development of the European Antimicrobial Resistance Surveillance Network in Veterinary Medicine (EARS-Vet)

Defining the scope of the European Antimicrobial Resistance Surveillance network in Veterinary medicine (EARS-Vet): a bottom-up and One Health approach