Results from the monitoring of veterinary medicinal product residues and other substances in live animals and animal products - United Kingdom in respect of Northern Ireland

This dataset contains the monitoring results of veterinary medicinal product residues and other substances measured in live animals and animal products analysed by the national competent authority of United Kingdom in respect of Northern Ireland. The presence of unauthorised substances, residues of veterinary medicinal products in food may pose a risk factor for public health.

For this reason and in order to ensure a high level of consumer protection, a comprehensive legislative framework has been established in the European Union (EU) which defines maximum limits permitted in food and monitoring programmes for the control of the presence of these substances in the food chain. Regulation (EU) No 37/2010 establishes maximum limits for residues of veterinary medicinal products in food-producing animals and animal products. Maximum residue levels for pesticides in or on food and feed of plant and animal origin are laid down in Regulation (EC) No 396/2005. Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2022/1646 lays down practical arrangements for and specific content of official controls of the use of veterinary medicinal products in live animals and products of animal origin through three different official national control plans: a national risk-based control plan for production in the Member States, a national randomised surveillance plan for production in the Member States and a national risk-based control plan for third-country imports. Additionally, Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2022/1644 lays down the range of samples and stage of production, processing and distribution at which the samples are to be taken.

Since 2018 until 2022, the data on the national residue monitoring plan were reported to EFSA in accordance with Council Directive 96/23/EC.

The dataset contains the results of laboratory tests from samples taken from bovines, pigs, sheep, goats, horses, poultry, rabbits, farmed game, wild game aquaculture, milk, eggs and honey, and from 2023 also samples from casings, insects and reptiles.

Targeted samples are taken with the aim of detecting illegal treatment or controlling compliance with the maximum levels laid down in the relevant legislation. This means that, in their national plans Member States target the groups of animals (species, gender, age) where the probability of finding residues is the highest. Conversely, the objective of random sampling is to collect significant data to evaluate, for example, consumer exposure to a specific substance.

Suspect samples are taken as a consequence of i) non-compliant results on samples taken in accordance with the control plans, ii) possession or presence of prohibited substances at any point during manufacture, storage, distribution or sale through the food and feed production chain, or iii) suspicion or evidence of illegal treatment or non-compliance with the withdrawal period for an authorised medicinal veterinary product.

Residues of pharmacologically active substances mean active substances, excipients or degradation products and their metabolites, which remain in food.

Unauthorised substances mean substances that are not authorised as veterinary medicinal products or as a feed additive under European Union legislation.

Prohibited substances mean substances which are prohibited for use in food producing animals according to the European Union legislation.

Non-compliant sample is a sample that has been analysed for the presence of one or more substances and failed to comply with the legal provisions for at least one substance. Thus, a sample can be non-compliant for one or more substances.

For 2021 and 2022 the only United Kingdom data that were reported to EFSA were from Northern Ireland. In accordance with the Agreement on the withdrawal of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Irelandfrom the European Union and the European Atomic Energy Community, and in particular Article 5(4) of the WindsorFramework (see Joint Declaration No 1/2023 of the Union and the United Kingdom in the Joint Committee establishedby the Agreement on the withdrawal of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland from the EuropeanUnion and the European Atomic Energy Community of 24 March 2023, OJ L 102, 17.4.2023, p.87) in conjunction withsection 24 of Annex 2 to that Framework, for the purposes of this Regulation, references to Member States include theUnited Kingdom in respect of Northern Ireland.

REPORTING AUTHORITIES CONTRIBUTING TO EACH DATA COLLECTION:

VMPR_2024 – Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs

VMPR_2023 – Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs

VMPR_2022 – Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs

VMPR_2021 – Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs