The import of meat containing growth-promoting antibiotics remains prohibited in France

The order of 21 February 2022 prohibited the introduction, import and placing on the market in France of meat and meat products from animals from third countries to the European Union that had received antimicrobial medicines to promote growth or increase yield from 22 April 2022 for a period of one year.

The Order of 27 February 2023 published in Official Journal of 2 march 2023 renews the import ban on meat and meat products from animals treated with growth-promoting antibiotics.

The frequent or systematic use of antibiotics leads to a phenomenon of resistance of the bacteria and thus creates an antibiotic resistance dangerous for human health.

For this reason, the use of antibiotics as growth promoters in farm animals produced within the European Union has been prohibited since 2006. This prohibition was extended by a European Union Regulation which entered into force on 28 January 2022: Article 118 of Regulation (EU) 2019/6 on veterinary medicinal products requires that products imported into the Union come from animals which have not been treated with growth-promoting antibiotics.

French importers must check with their suppliers that imported or marketed meat and meat products are not derived from animals that have received antibiotics as growth promoters. Some third countries in the EU have not banned the use of antibiotics to promote the growth of farmed animals.