Report for 2013 on the results from the monitoring of veterinary medicinal product residues and other substances in live animals and animal products

The present report summarises the monitoring data collected in 2013 on the presence of residues of veterinary medicinal products and certain substances in live animals and animal products in the European Union. A total of 1,005,835 samples were reported to the European Commission by the 28 EU Member States. They consisted of 419,528 targeted samples and 17,561 suspect samples reported under Council Directive 96/23/EC, 3,329 samples collected at import and 565,417 samples collected in the framework of programmes developed under the national legislation. The majority of Member States fulfilled the minimum requirements for sampling frequency laid down in Council Directive 96/23/EC and in Commission Decision 97/74/EC. The percentage of non-compliant targeted samples (0.31 %) was comparable to the previous six years (0.25–0.34 %). A higher frequency of non‑compliant samples was reported in 2013 for stilbenes, antithyroid agents, beta‑agonists, carbamates and pyrethyroids, chemical elements (mainly metals) and mycotoxins, compared to the previous six years. Resorcyclic acid lactones had increased in 2013 compared to the previous three years. The frequency of non‑compliant samples was lower compared to previous years, for anthelmintics and dyes. No non‑compliant samples were reported in 2013 for ‘other substances’. In 2012 and 2013, the frequency of non‑compliant samples for steroids and anticoccidials was comparable, however, lower compared to previous years. Compared to 2012, lower frequencies of non‑compliant samples were noted for sedatives and ‘other pharmacologically active substances’. For the other substance groups, there were no notable variations over the seven years. This analysis should be regarded as having a certain degree of uncertainty, as it is based on partially aggregated data and the sampling plans and the spectrum of substances analysed are not necessarily the same every year.