1945- 1960s

Early warnings of risk of developing bacterial resistance and demonstration of its vertical and horizontal transmission

1960s

Start of the use of antibiotics in animal feed (penicillin, streptomycin, tetracycline, …)

1969

The Swann Committee recommends restrictions on the use of antimicrobials in feed, to allow only those not used as therapeutic in human and veterinary medicine

1970s

Most Swann recommendations are put into practice in the United Kingdom and the EEC

1975

Relaxation of Swann recommendations: allows to use as AGPs spiramycin and tylosin, despite having similar in human medicine.

1984

Swiss farmers ask their government to ban the AGPs because of consumer concerns

1986

The ban of AGPs in Sweden based on the development of resistance and its "unsafe" long-term effects.

1993

Early studies indicate a relationship between the use of avoparcin and increased transmission and vancomycin-resistant enterococci, antibiotic of the same group (glycopeptides)

1995

Sweden and Finland enters in EU, with permission to maintain its ban on the APGs.

Prohibition of avoparcin in Denmark

1996

Prohibition of virginiamycin in Denmark and of avoparcin in Germany

1997

EU prohibits avoparcin

OMS concludes that "it is essential to replace the use of APGs"

1998

The EU prohibits ardamicina as APG because risks of cross-resistance, and the use since 1999 of 4 other antibiotics (virginiamycin, bacitracin zinc, tylosin phosphate, spiramycin) as a "precautionary measure".

Denmark prohibits all APGs

1999

The EC Standing Scientific Committee recommends abandoning the APGs that can be used in human and veterinary medicine, or to promote cross-resistance.

Prohibited the use of inhibitors (olaquindox, carbadox) for labor health reasons

2000

The pharmaceutical industry is judicially opposed to the decision of the EC, without result.

2001- 2004

Removing of 6 anticoccidiósicas substances (amprolium, ditto + etopab ato, meticlorpindol, ditto + methylbenzoquate, arprinocida, nicarbazin)

Removing antihistomoniásicos (dimetridazole, ipronidazole, Ronidazole, nifursol)

2006

Prohibiting the use of the remaining APGs (avilamycin, flavophospholipol, salinomycin, monensin,). The last 2 may continue to be used in chickens as coccidiostats.