Despite determined efforts by countries and health care professionals, Europe is not on track to meet four of the five AMR targets set by the EU Council for 2030, according to data released on EAAD.
Rising AMR, together with a shortage of novel effective treatments, constitutes an evolving major public health crisis in Europe and globally. In an interconnected world, AMR further complicates the health challenges that stem from non-communicable diseases, demographic shifts and health care workforce shortages.
“Tackling AMR requires critical innovation on three key fronts: strong action for responsible antibiotic use, sustained and standardized infection prevention and control practice, and novel antibiotics in the pipeline,” says ECDC Director Dr. Pamela Rendi-Wagner.
Europe is not on track to meet the 2030 AMR targets
Since 2019, the estimated incidence of bloodstream infections caused by carbapenem-resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae has increased by more than 60%, despite a target of 5% reduction by 2030. Similarly, those caused by third-generation cephalosporin-resistant Escherichia coli have risen by more than 5%, despite a target of 10% reduction.
Antibiotic consumption also increased in 2024, contrary to the 20% reduction target. Meanwhile, the proportion of first-line antibiotics used—those in the “Access” group of the World Health Organization (WHO)’s AWaRe classification, which should represent at least 65% of total use—has remained stagnant at around 60%.
A human and societal crisis
ECDC estimates that antimicrobial-resistant infections cause more than 35 000 deaths every year in the EU/EEA, representing a substantial burden on individuals, societies and health care systems. The rise of resistant infections undermines modern medicine, jeopardizing life-saving procedures like organ transplants, cancer therapy, surgery and intensive care.
“Behind every statistic is a person whose treatment options are running out—a child, a parent, a grandparent. Antimicrobial resistance is not just a medical issue—it’s a societal one. We must ensure that no one in Europe is left without an effective treatment option,” says Dr. Diamantis Plachouras, Head of the Antimicrobial Resistance and Healthcare-Associated Infections at ECDC.
The perfect storm: Rising AMR and shortage of effective treatments requires innovation
Several factors are contributing to the increase in difficult-to-treat infections: an aging population with chronic underlying diseases that make them more vulnerable to infections, cross-border transmission of resistant microorganisms, and persistent high antibiotic use combined with gaps in infection prevention and control.
At the same time, the global antibiotic pipeline remains limited, especially against critical public health priority microorganisms like carbapenem-resistant gram-negative bacteria. Innovative solutions are needed to slow the rise of AMR, but there are very few new antibiotics offering novel mechanisms of action nearing approval.
Additionally, there is suboptimal use of first-line antibiotics from the “Access” group as per WHO’s AWaRe classification, and growing dependence on last-resort antibiotics. These challenges highlight the need for coordinated action to secure equitable access, sustainable production, and responsible use of existing and future antibiotics.
“Antimicrobial resistance is an evolving challenge, but Europe can still make real progress. Together we can build a safer future, where effective treatment remains available for generations to come,” adds Dr. Plachouras.
Provided by
European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC)
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