Drugs policy: Commission proposes the creation of a European Union Drugs Agency

Today, the European Commission presented a proposal revising the organisation and capabilities of the European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction (EMCDDA). The proposed Regulation ensures the Agency will have a stronger role in combating challenges posed by drugs in the EU, it also proposes to change the name of EMCDDA to the “European Union Drugs Agency”.

The new mandate of the European Union Drugs Agency will:

• strengthen the Agency’s monitoring and threat assessment capabilities, providing more support to EU countries
• establish a virtual forensic and toxicological laboratory
• strengthen the national focal points, which are main data providers for EMCDDA
• enable the development of EU-level prevention and awareness raising campaigns, as well as issue alerts in case particularly dangerous substances become available on the market
• address poly-substance use, meaning-the addictive use of other substances when linked to drug use
• enhancethe international role of the Agency

Next Steps

The Commission’s proposals will now be discussed by the Council and the European Parliament.

For More Information

• Press release
• Proposal for a Regulation on the European Union Drugs Agency
• Annex to the Proposal for a Regulation on the European Union Drugs Agency
• Impact Assessment accompanying the Proposal for a Regulation on the European Union Drugs Agency
• Summary of the Impact Assessment accompanying the Proposal for a Regulation on the European Union Drugs Agency
• Drug Policy