The involvement of civil society, in particular non-governmental organisations, is one of the cornerstones of European drugs policy. The Expert Group - Civil Society Forum on Drugs in the EU is a Commission expert group that was created in 2007 on the basis of the Commission Green Paper on the role of civil society in drugs policy in the EU. The objective of the Group is to support policy formulation and implementation through advice. Since its inception in 2007, the Group has been composed mostly of umbrella organisations covering the various aspects of drugs policy. The Expert Group normally meets in a plenary session once per year in Brussels. In between the annual sessions the Group works in thematic working groups.
The CSFD has more than 40 members, representing a range of drug policy areas, including harm reduction, treatment, prevention, social reintegration, etc. The geographical balance and the balance between different areas of activities relevant for the drugs policy are important elements of the work of the Expert Group.
Relevant information, including on Membership of the CSFD, it meetings and reports are available at the Register of Commission Expert Groups and on the CSFD website.