Mandatory vs. Voluntary? How to Conceive and Implement the ‘Right’ Measures to Fight AMR

The fight against antimicrobial resistance (AMR) usually relies on a large set of measures, such as banning or restricting the use of certain molecules, promoting preventive approaches to animal health, monitoring antibiotic use and prescription, training farmers and veterinarians, developing quality schemes and labels, etc. These measures can be mandatory (i.e. regulations) or voluntary (i.e. private standards, professional guidelines, etc.), depending on the policy style adopted in each country: imposing the same framework of action for everyone or trying to stimulate stakeholders’ initiatives. It is however difficult to say that one option is better than another, given that reduction of antimicrobial use in livestock has been achieved in different European countries using different options. Based on a cross-reflection from three ROADMAP case studies, this Point de Vue argues that an efficient and legitimate AMR policy has to adopt a combination of voluntary and mandatory measures which is carefully thought through and which is adapted to local contexts and dynamics.