WRITTEN QUESTION E-4119/97 by Marjo Matikainen-Kallström (PPE) to the Commission (16 January 1998)

Subject: Drugs problems caused by Afghanistan and Pakistan

Every year, substantial quantities of drugs enter the European and United States markets from Afghanistan and Pakistan. According to UN Development Program (UNDP) statistics, for example, Afghanistan produces 2 300 tons of opium per annum, two thirds of which is processed into heroin. Much of the processing and smuggling to Western markets is carried out in or through Pakistan. The problem affects the European Union particularly badly, as drugs can enter the internal market all too easily. Control of the Union's external borders ought to be stepped up, particularly by improving information exchanges and exploiting advanced technology.

In view of the above, what will the Commission do to help and induce Afghanistan and Pakistan to introduce more effective measures against producers, processors and suppliers of drugs? What will the Commission do to ascertain how the Union's external borders could be controlled more effectively than at present in order to stem the flow of drugs?

Answer given by Mr Marín on behalf of the Commission (17 February 1998)

The appropriation of funds on the Community's budget line B7-6210 is at present intended to finance direct actions such as prevention and reduction of drug abuse and the control of supply through prevention of the diversion of precursors as well as measures against money laundering in countries.

In the case of Afghanistan, the current conditions in the country do not permit the Commission to do more than support limited even if comprehensive treatment and rehabilitation and prevention projects in areas most affected by opium addiction. The Commission provided technical assistance to the United Nations drug control programme (UNDCP) to establish the poppy cultivation survey which is carried out annually. As Afghanistan has, at present, no properly functioning constitutional law enforcement system, it is not possible for the Commission to intervene in the country with regard to measures against producers, processors or suppliers of drugs.

In Pakistan, which itself has a significant addict population (estimates suggest 2 million heroin addicts), the Commission has sought to channel Community assistance into the areas of drug abuse prevention, training, treatment and rehabilitation through government and non-governmental organisations (NGO) activities. Furthermore, the Commission is engaging in a precursor control project for the South Asia association for regional cooperation (SAARC) to be implemented through the UNDCP.

With regard to the control of the Community's external borders against illicit drug trafficking originating, in particular, in Afghanistan and Pakistan, the Commission is developing, through its regional and national drugs PHARE programmes, the capacity of transit countries, such as Bulgaria, Romania and Former yugoslav republic of Macedonia (FYROM) to control their external borders and main entry points (e.g. international airports and Black Sea ports).

The Commission also envisages, under the TACIS programme, to implement concrete measures to curb the illicit drug trafficking transiting through the Commonwealth of independent States (CIS) countries.

Under the OISIN programme on police and customs cooperation in the Community, which is managed by the Commission, operational projects will soon be implemented in order to improve controls at the Community's external borders against the illicit drug trafficking through the Balkan route.