EN Official Journal of the European Union CE 78/227

(2004/C 78 E/0231)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3134/03

by José Ribeiro e Castro (UEN) to the Commission

(23 October 2003)

Subject: Holland — ‘Ecstasy’

In its answer to Written Question E-2309/03 (1) the Commission confirmed that ‘the Emcdda in its annual report also indicates that the Netherlands is a major site for the production of ecstasy, amphetamines and related drugs’ but adds that ‘evidence of production in other Member States and in east European countries is also reported’, without specifiying the level of production.

On the other hand, some of the questions posed remain unanswered, such as ‘whether it can confirm that most of the drugs come from the Netherlands’ and if so, ‘what measures it has taken or intends to take to prevent drugs being exported from the Netherlands and distributed throughout the EU?’.

The above-mentioned answer also says ‘the Commission has emphasised that the issue of synthetic drugs must remain a top priority for the Union and its Member States. This has also been emphasised by the Justice and Home Affairs Ministers of the EU. Following on from a meeting of Justice and Home Affairs Ministers in September 2002 an implementation plan on actions to be taken in regard to the supply of synthetic drugs has been adopted by the Council.’

Can the Commission therefore say:

— whether it can confirm that among the Member States the Netherlands is the most important location for the manufacture of ‘Ecstasy’ and also the major source of supply of the drug for the other Member Stastes, in particular Portugal;

— for how many years it has been aware of this situation;

— since it has stated that there is ‘evidence of production in other Member States’, to which countries it is refering and with what degree of intensity and/or risk compared with the Netherlands;

— what measures it has taken or plans to take to prevent drugs from being exported from the Netherlands and distributed throughout the EU; as regards the other EU ‘producer’ countries, whether the levels of risk and ‘marketing’ are similar;

— what it thinks of the implementation plan for the actions to be taken as regards the supply of synthetic drugs, adopted at the meeting of EU Justice and Home Affairs Ministers held in September 2002; whether it considers the measures which the plan proposes for tackling the supply of synthetic drugs adequate and appropriate?

Answer given by Mr Vitorino on behalf of the Commission

(5 December 2003)

Each year the European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction (EMCDDA) and the European Police Office (Europol) produce, on the basis of information and statistical data provided by the national authorities of the Member States, a report on the state of the drugs problem in the European Union and the candidate countries as regards drugs production, trafficking and consumption. In response to a number of concerns expressed by the Member States, the 2001 report identified the European Union as the main source of ecstasy.

EMCDDA's 2003 annual report on the state of the drugs problem in the European Union and Norway stated that the number of production sites for synthetic drugs discovered each year in the EU is constant at around 50 to 70. The Netherlands and Belgium are the main production sites for ecstasy, amphetamines and related drugs, but production is also reported in other Member States including Spain, France and the United Kingdom and in candidate countries (Estonia, Lithuania, Poland and the Czech Republic).

This state of affairs is confirmed by the 2003 annual report on the state of the drugs problem in the acceding and candidate countries in the European Union, which states that synthetic drugs such as amphetamines and ecstasy are produced in illegal laboratories in the Baltic States, Bulgaria, the Czech Republic and Hungary for domestic consumption.

As regards the measures taken to prevent drugs being exported from the Netherlands and distributed throughout the EU, no Member State can, on the face of it, be regarded as ‘clean’ when it comes to drugs production and trafficking. All the Member States have signed the United Nations conventions and are active participants in the early-warning system set up as part of the Joint Action of June 1997. As the European Union's main instrument in the war against drug trafficking, Europol shares its expertise on a regular basis with Member States to help them combat criminal gangs and shut down illegal laboratories involved in producing synthetic drugs.

Under the 2000-04 Action Plan the Commission, together with the Member States and Europol, undertook to put in place tougher measures to combat drug trafficking. It will also help the Member States to step up police, customs and judicial cooperation and to develop expertise in controlling the trade in chemical precursors.

In addition, the Commission hopes that the Council will shortly reach a political agreement on the framework decision laying down minimum provisions on criminal acts and penalties in the field of drug trafficking.

The implementation plan outlining action to be taken in relation to synthetic drugs calls on Member States, Europol and EMCDDA to take specific measures to combat diversion of precursors, illegal laboratories and distribution networks. It will be examined as part of the final assessment of the 2000-04 Action Plan.

With a view to tightening legislation on synthetic drugs, the Commission has presented a proposal for a Council Decision on the information exchange, risk-assessment and the control on new narcotic drugs and new synthetic drugs which will replace the Joint Action of June 1997. Parliament will also have the opportunity to express its opinion on this subject.

(1) OJ C 70 E, 20.3.2004, p. 83.