Proposal for a EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND COUNCIL DECISION adopting a programme of Community action on the prevention of drug dependence within the framework for action in the field of public health (1995-2000)
Date: 1994-06-21
Institutions: European Commission
Subjects: European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction, action programme, budget, drug addiction, international cooperation, public health

COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES 

COM(94) 223  final 
Brussels,  21.06.1994 

94/0135  (COD) 

COMMUNICATION  FROM THE  COMMISSION 

Community  action in the field of  drug dependence 

Proposal  for a 
EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT  AND  COUNCIL  DECISION 

adopting a programme  of  Community  action on the prevention 
of drug dependence within the framework  for  action 
in the field of public health  (1995-2000) 

(presented by the  Commission) 

w$ 

COMMUNITY ACTION IN THE 
FIELD OF DRUG DEPENDENCE 

I. 

II. 

INTRODUCTION 

PRESENT  SITUATION  IN  THE  COMMUNITY 

III. 

OVERVIEW  OF ACTIONS  ON DRUG  DEPENDENCE  ALREADY  TAKEN 

AT  COMMUNITY  LEVEL 

IV. 

THE  EUROPEAN  COMMUNITY  APPROACH 

A. 
B. 
C. 
D. 
E. 

Objectives  and means 
The public health framework  and action  on drug dependence 
The European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction 
Cooperation between Member  States 
Cooperation with international  organizations and third  countries 
regarding drug dependence 

V. 

THE  PREVENTION  OF DRUG  DEPENDENCE  AND  COMMUNITY  ACTION 

A. 

B. 

A multi disci pli nary  and multidimensional  context 
1. 
2. 
3. 
4. 
5. 
6. 
7. 

Specific  preventive actions 
Early detection  and screening 
Social  and occupational  reintegration 
Drug addicts in prison 
Licit  substances 
Data collection 
Formulation  and dissemination  of research 

First programme of Community  action on the prevention of drug 
dependence 
1. 
2. 
3. 

Areas of activities 
Consultation  and Participation 
Evaluation  and reports 

3 

4 

5 

7 

7 
10 
11 
12 

13 

14 

14 
15 
18 
19 
20 
21 
21 
22 

23 
23 
23 
24 

I. 

INTRODUCTION 

1. 

2. 

3. 

4. 

This  Communication  and  this  proposal  for  a  programme  for  the  prevention  of  drug 
dependence  need  to  be  seen  in  the  double  context  of  the  Communication  of  the 
Commission  of  24  November  1993  on the  framework  for  action  in  the  field  of  public 
health(1),  and the European Union Action Plan to combat drugs(2) which the Commission 
has submitted to the Council  and Parliament. 

In its  Communication  of  24  November  1993  the  Commission  defined  a framework  for 
future action at Community level in order to attain the objectives on health protection laid 
down  in  Articles  3(0)  and  129  of  the  Treaty  establishing  the  European  Community 
following  the  entry  into  force  of  the  Treaty  on  European  Union.  The  role  of  the 
Community  is identified  as underpinning  the efforts  of  the Member  States in the public 
health field, assisting in the formulation  and implementation of objectives and strategies, 
and contributing  to the  provision  of  health protection  across the  Community,  setting as 
a target the best results already  obtained in  a given  area anywhere in the  Community. 

In initiating action under Article  129, the Community  has to address itself to preventing 
diseases and protecting health. Drug dependence is the only threat specifically  mentioned 
in this Article, and the Commission Communication identified  its prevention as a priority 
for Community  action. 

Drug dependence is a multi-faceted  problem, with links to major social  scourges such as 
social  exclusion  and  unemployment  as  well  as  crime.  The  difficulties  encountered  by 
Member States in combatting its severe effects on society has led to a series of initiatives 
being taken  at Community  level  over the  past  few  years.  The  wide  range  of  initiatives 
adopted  by  the  Council  and the  European  Parliament  has  demonstrated  the  seriousness 
with  which  they  regard  this  problem  and their  conviction  that  actions  to  tackle  it  are 
needed  at the Community  level.  The Community  is  now  in a position  to consolidate  its 
achievements  in the  field  of  drug prevention  and build  on the work  already  carried out 
by  proposing  a  forward-looking  programme  for  drug  dependence  within  the  overall 
context  of public health.This programme will  aim to cover: 

the use of  narcotics and psychotropic  substances; 

the abuse of  alcohol  and pharmaceutical products(3); 

(1) 
(2) 

(3) 

COM(93) 559 final. 
COM(94) 234 final. 
Notably  "medicinal  products  subject  to  special  medical  prescription"  under  Council 
Directive  92/26/EEC of  31  March  1992. 

the misuse of chemical substances or products (solvents, etc.) for drug dependence 
purposes(4). 

5. 

The programme is based, among other things, on an analysis of the experiences acquired 
from previous Community initiatives launched at the request of the Member States. It also 
takes  account  of  the  drug  demand  reduction  work  undertaken  or  envisaged  by 
international  organizations,  including  the  United  Nations  International  Drug  Control 
Programme,  the  specialist  institutions  of  the  United  Nations,  in  particular  the  World 
Health Organization, and regional organizations such as the Council of Europe (Pompidou 
Group). The stepping up of cooperation with these organizations and the opening up of 
the programme  to third  countries,  in  particular  to the  countries  of  Central  and Eastern 
Europe, will  address the international  dimension  of the drugs phenomenon. 

H. 

PRESENT SITUATION IN THE COMMUNITY 

6. 

Two reports on drug demand reduction in the European Community have provided much 
useful information(5) but have demonstrated that there is a lack of reliable and comparable 
indicators  within  the  European  Community.  This  makes  it  difficult  to  assess  the total 
number of drug users and to compare drug consumption levels and trends. The European 
Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction will help to fill this gap(6). Despite the 
lack of available data, the second report on drug demand reduction revealed the following 
general trends: 

increase in drug-related  mortality  and morbidity(7); 

increase in the number of requests for  treatment; 

increase in the number of first time use of drugs; 

high percentage of drug addicts among prisoners; 

increase in the number of AIDS cases linked to drug use; 

growing  concern  among  drug  users,  their  families  and  other  persons  in  the 
Community  about the risks of infection  with HIV. 

(4) 

(5) 
(6) 
(7) 

The  terms  "use",  "abuse"  and  "misuse"  are  commonly  used  to  qualify  dependencies 
resulting from  illicit and licit drugs and substances. 
COM(90) 527 final of 8 November  1990 and  SEC(92) 725 final of 25 May  1992. 
OJ No L 36,  12.2.1993, p.l,  and OJ No C 225, 20.8.1993, p. 3. 
Only in the Schengen  area,  death from  overdose increased  from  1 034 cases in  1980 to 
4 843 cases in 1991 (without data from Belgium, Greece and the Netherlands). - National 
Statistics - Interpol  - Lyon. 

7. 

8. 

9. 

Of particular importance is the question of drug addictions in prisons. The figures suggest 
that  the  percentage  of  drug  addicts  in  the  prison  population  is  above  30%  in  eight 
Member  States (estimates supplied by the Member  States in  1993). 

The  high  number  of  Aids  cases  linked  to  drug  use  is  still  a  major  concern.  The  data 
yielded  from  the  monitoring  of  AIDS  in  the  European  Community  and  the  COST 
countries(8) reveal  that between  1991 and  1993 injecting  drug users accounted  for  more 
than 34% of the AIDS cases in men and more than  54% of the AIDS cases in women; 
in addition, the absolute figures for  AIDS incidence in  this transmission  group  are still 
increasing. 

A  special  survey  designed  to  reveal  Europeans'  attitudes,  opinions  and  levels  of 
knowledge concerning illicit drugs was carried  out by the Commission by means of the 
Eurobarometer  surveys(9) in  March  and  May  1992. The  results  showed  that  more  than 
500 000 young Europeans were offered  drugs by the age of  15, and almost 3 500 000 by 
the age of  19. Generally  speaking, young Europeans are well informed  about drugs such 
as hashish,  cocaine  and heroin,  but  know much  less about new  drugs such  as crack  or 
ecstasy and their associated risks. The type of person  offered  drugs is most often:  male, 
a  student,  aged under  35 (for  heroin,  hashish  and cocaine) or under 25 (for  LSD, crack 
and  ecstasy). While there was general  approval  for  the establishment  of  special  centres 
to  take  care  of  drug  addicts,  the  use  of  substitute  drugs  to  treat  them  aroused  mixed 
reactions. The free  distribution  of  syringes was approved  only by the young,  the better 
educated  and  those who live in  large towns.  Older  persons  and the  less well  educated 
were more in favour  of repression  and/or of isolating drug addicts. 

m.  OVERVIEW  OF ACTIONS  ON DRUG DEPENDENCE ALREADY  TAKEN  AT 

COMMUNITY LEVEL 

European  Council 

10.  Drug  addiction  was  discussed  by  the  successive  European  Councils  of  Milan  (1985), 
The Hague  (1986)  and  London  (1986).  Member  States  were  asked  to  draw  on  their 
experience  in the treatment  and  reintegration  of  drug  addicts  in  order  to  participate  in 
informing  teachers,  parents  and young  people  about  the  dangers  of  drug  abuse  and  to 
collaborate in the drafting  of reports and recommendations on measures which could be 
taken at Community level. The European Council has returned to the problem regularly, 
as reflected  in its declarations at Dublin  and Rome (1990), Luxembourg and Maastricht 
(1991), Lisbon and  Edinburgh (1992), and Brussels (1993). In addition the European Plan 
adopted  by  the  European  Council  in  Rome  (1990)  and  reconsidered  by  the  European 

(8) 

(9) 

WHO-EC collaborating Centre on AIDS, quarterly  report of 30 June 1993. 
Eurobarometer  37 - European Drug Prevention Week. 

Council  in Edinburgh (1992) contributed to a significant  extent to the development of 
Community action in the field of drug dependence. 

Council 

11. 

12. 

First discussed by the Health Ministers at an informal  meeting in 1984, the fight against 
drug addiction has since evolved into a priority preoccupation of the Council of Ministers 
and the Ministers of Health meeting within the Council. The Commission transmitted to 
the  Council  two  Communications  in  succession,  one  concerning  cooperation  at 
Community  level  on health related problems00*, which identified  the fight against drug 
addiction as one of the priorities,  and the other concerning Community  actions in the 
fight  against drugs(U). Focusing on prevention and health education activities, this latter 
Communication reflected  an overall  approach to the drug problem,  complementing the 
specific measures to combat production and supply advocated in a Recommendation for 
a  Council  Decision  on  Community  participation  in  the  preparatory  work  and  the 
International  Conference on Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking(12). 

Step by  step, the Council  and the Ministers for Health meeting within the Council have 
put  into  practice  the  willingness  of  the  Member  States  to  take  concerted  measures  to 
resolve the drugs problem,  as expressed  by the Hague European  Council  by  adopting a 
series  of  Resolutions  and  Conclusions(13)  requesting  the  Commission  to  support  the 
Member  States in the following  fields:  screening,  health  data, AIDS  prevention  among 
drug addicts, implementation of coordinated actions to prevent drug addiction, exchanges 
of  information  and  production  of  regular  reports  on  the  reduction  of  drug  demand, 
rehabilitation  of  drug  addicts  in  prison,  and  coordination  of  two  European  Drug 
Prevention Weeks. The Education Ministers have also raised the question. 

13. 

In order to comply  with these  specific  requests,  the Commission  defined  a number of 
basic activities. These involved promoting and facilitating: 

exchanges of experience and information between Member States in the fields of 
primary, secondary and tertiary drug prevention; 

the undertaking of pilot projects in the above-mentioned fields, especially projects 
involving  several  Member  States  or capable  of  serving  as reference  points for 
other Member States; 

(10) 
(l,) 
(12) 
(13) 

COM(84) 502  final. 
COM(86) 601 final. 
COM(86) 457  final. 
List annexed. 

closer cooperation between national structures and non-governmental organizations 
(NGOs); 

the establishment  of Community networks of NGOs. 

14. 

Following  the  recommendations  of  the  European  Council  in  Dublin  (1990)  the 
Commission submitted  ;o the Council  a proposal  for  a Regulation  on the  establishment 
of a European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction, which was subsequently 
adopted  on 8 February  1993<14). The Regulation  entered  into force  on 30 October 1993, 
following  the  decision  of  the  Brussels  European  Council  that  the  Monitoring  Centre 
should be sited in Lisbon. The Regulation stipulates that one of the Centre's top priorities, 
and the one to which  it is required  to give  special  attention  during its initial  three-year 
work programme, is drug demand and drug demand  reduction. 

European Parliament 

15. 

The European Parliament has played an important role in getting drugs onto the agenda 
at Community level, adopting several Resolutions on the matter from  1980 onwards(15) and 
creating in  1985 a Committee of Inquiry into the drugs problem in the Member States of 
the  Community.  Following  the  report  produced  by  this  Committee  of  Inquiry,  the 
European Parliament drafted two resolutions(16), calling for concerted action to resolve the 
drugs problem and for the drawing up of a comprehensive Community  policy to combat 
drugs, covering,  as far  as reduction  of demand  is concerned,  prevention,  detoxification 
and rehabilitation.  The Parliament  emphasized  in particular the necessity to ensure that 
more effort  is directed  towards  endeavours to  dissuade  potential  drug  use,  particularly 
among young people through health education. 

IV.  THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITY APPROACH 

A. 

Objectives and means 

16. 

(14) 
(15) 

(16) 

In line with Article 129, the Commission Communication on public health identified drug 
dependence as a priority for future action by means of a specific programme. In drawing 
up such a programme the Commission has to identify  specific  activities which focus on 
preventing drug dependence. These activities have to be coherent with and complementary 
to other proposed programmes and activities under the public health  framework. 

OJ No L 36,  12.2.1993, p.  1, and OJ No C  225, 20.8.1993, p. 3. 
Notably:  Resolution  of  10  March  1980  (OJ  No  C  85,  8.4.1980,  p. 15);  Resolution  of 
14 May  1982  (OJ No C  149,  14.6.1982, p.  120);  Resolution  of  13 September  1985 
(OJ No C 262,  14.10.1985, pp.119-123). 
Resolution  of  9 October  1986  (OJ  No C 283,  10.11.1986,  p.  79)  and  Resolution  of 
18 January  1989  (OJ No C 47,  27.2.1989, p. 51). 

17. 

Future Community  action in the public health field must take account of the principle  of 
subsidiarity  and  the  considerations  set  out  in  paragraph  27  of  the  Commission's 
Communication.  The Community  shall take action only if,  and in so far as, the objectives 
cannot be  sufficiently  achieved by the Member  States themselves  and can, therefore,  by 
reason  of  the  scale  or  effects  of  the  proposed  action,  be  better  achieved  by  the 
Community.  Activities should be selected on the basis of prior appraisal and should yield 
a Community  added value while  achieving  maximum  cost  efficiency. 

18. 

The  following  criteria  in  particular  have  been  identified  for  assessing  the  need  for 
Community  action  in the  drug dependence field: 

an activity  on  a scale which Member  States themselves  could not,  or could  only 
with  difficulty,  implement; 

an activity,  which,  implemented jointly,  would  offer  obvious benefits  even  after 
taking into account the extra costs  involved; 

an activity  which,  because  of  the  complementary  nature  of  work  being  done  at 
national  level,  enables  significant  results to  be  obtained  in the  Community  as a 
whole; 

an activity which leads, where the need is recognized, to the establishment of best 
practices; 

an activity which contributes to the strengthening of solidarity and social  cohesion 
in the Community,  and promotes its overall  harmonious  development. 

19. 

In accordance with the Commission's Communication on public health the Commission's 
role will  be to: 

facilitate  the exchange  of  information  and models  of  good  practice  in particular 
through networks and other exchange  systems; 

lend  support by  providing  appropriate incentives; 

encourage  and coordinate,  as necessary,  activities  at Community  level. 

The Commission  will,  in particular,  support proposals  submitted by  Member  States and 
initiatives involving  organizations and agencies active in the field of drug prevention  In 
addition the Commission  will cooperate with international organizations and transnational 
associations  active in this area. 

20. 

21. 

To have the greatest  possible  effect  with  the limited  resources  at its  disposal,  it will  be 
important for the Commission to concentrate  on the  support  of  projects which  normally 
will  involve  several  Member  States.  In  this  way  it  will  be  possible  to  maximize  the 
impact  of  measures, thus ensuring the visibility  and added value  of  Community  action. 

Special  attention will  be paid to the obligation  contained in Article  129 which states that 
health  protection  requirements  shall  form  a  constituent  part  of  the  Community's  other 
policies.  Many  aspects  of  Community  policy  impinge  on  the  prevention  of  drug 
dependence  and the  Commission  undertakes  in  its  Communication  on  public  health  to 
ensure  that  full  account  is  taken  of  health  protection  and  drug  dependence  prevention 
issues.  The  Commission  has  established  appropriate  procedures  to  ensure  that  this 
commitment  is  respected  through  adequate  coordination  and  consultation  in  the 
development  of  relevant  policies.  In  addition,  the  Commission  will  submit  on  a yearly 
basis  a report on  the  health  protection  aspects  of  policies  which  will  form  part  of  the 
Commission's  Annual  Report. 

22. 

The following  are examples of other Community policies  and instruments likely to have 
an impact on the prevention  of  drug dependence: 

certain instruments concerning the completion of the single market and consumer 
policy, particularly as regards drug precursors, pharmaceutical products, medicinal 
products and dangerous substances  and preparations; 

the  social  affairs  policies  and  instruments,  particularly  concerning  migrants, 
poverty,  employment,  protection  of workers' health and safety  and the European 
Social Fund; 

education  and training  for  young  people  and  health  professionals,  and  activities 
targeted at young people in the field of culture, communication  and information; 

instruments  designed  to  protect  citizens'  rights  such  as personal  data  protection 
measures; 

research  on  health  systems,  on  addiction  behaviour  as  described  in  the 
Commission  proposal  for a specific  RTD programme in the area of biomedicine 
and  health,  1994  -  1998(17),  assessment  of  requirements,  health  education  and 
information. 

(17) 

COM(94) 68 final of  30 March  1994. 

8. 

The public health framework  and the prevention  of drug dependence 

23. 

The prominence accorded to combatting drug dependence in the context of public health 
reflects  changing perceptions  of  how to  conduct the fight against  drugs, both  at global 
level and within the Member States. In the past, the strategy adopted by the international 
community tended to concentrate more on reducing supply and stamping out  trafficking. 
Even when demand reduction measures were introduced,  they were essentially based on 
a law enforcement  approach. Numerous factors have led to this strategy being gradually 
modified,  including the following: 

the continuing inflow  of illicit drugs despite all efforts  to combat trafficking  and 
reduce supply; 

the increasing  misuse and abuse of licit  substances and products; 

the increased risks posed by  communicable  diseases  such  as hepatitis  and Aids, 
which are especially  associated with intravenous drug use; 

the need to develop approaches to supplement law enforcement  so as to meet the 
social  and health needs of drug users. 

These factors have led to a greater emphasis on demand reduction as part of an integrated 
approach to the drugs problem, and to the emergence of prevention  as a priority theme. 

24. 

Indeed, this trend was recently confirmed  by the United Nations and is also apparent in 
the current policies of the Member  States.  The preventive approach to drug use and its 
consequences  is  increasingly  finding  a  place  in  the  more  general  context  of  social, 
educational  and health  policies and structures(18). 

25.  Drug  dependence  cannot  be  considered  in  isolation  as  it  is  often  associated  with  other 
health problems and issues, such as tobacco consumption, communicable diseases, health 
promotion and health education. These are already being tackled in individual Community 
programmes  or  are  due  to  be  tackled  in  a  coordinated  way  in  future  programmes.  In 
particular, the spread of HIV among intravenous drug-users causes major concern. In this 
context  it  should  be borne in  mind  that  intravenous  drug-users  may  combine the three 
known  channels  by  which  HIV  can  be  transmitted,  namely  transmission  through  the 
bloodstream,  sexual transmission  and transmission  from  mother to baby. 

26.  Dependence  also  arises  as  a  result  of  the  abuse  of  alcohol  and  of  pharmaceutical 
substances or by the  misuse of chemical products such as solvents particularly by young 
people. This points to the need for effective  health information  and education strategies. 

(18) 

SEC(92) 725 final of 25 May  1992. 

10 

27. 

It is also clear that drug prevention actions under the heading of public health policy need 
to be coordinated with law enforcement,  since it can include a socio-medical dimension 
(e.g.  alternatives  to  imprisonment  for  the  delinquent  user),  and  a  health  dimension 
(e.g. health care for  drug addicts in prisons). 

C. 

The European  Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction 

28. 

29. 

30. 

The European  Monitoring  Centre for  drugs and Drug  Addiction  (EMCDDA) has been 
established to provide the Community and its Member States with objective, reliable and 
comparable information  at European level concerning drugs and drug addiction and their 
consequences. In order to achieve its task the Centre has to collect, register and analyze 
existing information, including data resulting from  research, communicated by Member 
States as well as that emanating from Community, non-governmental national sources and 
competent  international  organizations;  carry  out  surveys,  preparatory  studies  and 
feasibility  studies,  together  with  any  pilot  projects  necessary  to  accomplish  its  tasks; 
organize  meetings  of  experts;  set  up  and  make  available  scientific  documentation 
resources and assist in the promotion of information  activities; provide an organizational 
and technical system of supplying information  on similar or complementary  programmes 
or  actions  pursued  by  the  Member  States;  establish  and  coordinate  the  European 
Information  Network  on  Drugs  and  Drug  Addiction  (REITOX),  a  computer  network 
forming  the  infrastructure  for  the  collection  and  exchange  of  information  and 
documentation; facilitate exchanges of information between decision-makers, researchers, 
specialists and those involved in combating drugs in governmental and non-governmental 
organizations. 

The Centre will have an important role to play in the field of demand reduction to which 
it  will  have to  give  special  attention  during  its first three-year  work  programme.  The 
Commission and the Member States, as members of the Management Board, will be able 
to  ensure  that  the  Centre  carries  out  its  mandate  to  the  full.  In  the  field  of  demand 
reduction, in particular, the Centre will have a role to play in certain areas covered by the 
present Communication, namely statistics and epidemiological data, research, studies and 
surveys, and assessment. 

The activities of the Centre which concern the collection  and circulation  of  information 
will provide important input for possible proposals for actions and measures and facilitate 
the  development  of  policies  by  the  Commission,  the  Council  and  the  Member  States, 
according  to  their  respective  competence.  The  Commission,  for  its  part,  will  make 
available to the Centre the information  and statistical  data available to it. 

11 

D. 

Cooperation  between Member States 

31. 

The Member  States are primarily  responsible for  all  care of  drug addicts and treatment 
of drug dependence and aspects of their financing and delivery. However, the Commission 
may be called on by the Member  States to assist them  in improving their  collaboration 
on health  care matters and may  also provide assistance to them  in  actions designed to 
improve  the  quality  of  health  care  and  treatment.  As  foreseen  under  Article  129, the 
Commission is willing to facilitate  cooperation  in the following  areas: 

* 

* 

* 

* 

* 

best available options for the development  of various therapies; 

methodology  for  evaluating and comparing therapeutic  strategies,  structures and 
practices; 

comparisons on the availability  of treatment  and access to it; 

analysis of the provisions which encourage therapy for  drug addicts, particularly 
AIDS  and HIV-positive  patients,  pregnant  addicts  and  the newborn  affected  by 
drug addiction; 

incorporation  of therapy and other alternative measures into the law  enforcement 
process. 

32. 

The Commission, where appropriate in collaboration with the European Monitoring Centre 
on Drugs  and Drug  Addiction,  will  encourage  cooperation  between  Member  States in 
these fields by supporting exchanges of information and experience and Community-wide 
dissemination  of  the  best  practices.  Cooperation  will  also  be  encouraged  through  the 
development of networks and the provision of financial support for programmes or pilot 
projects  addressing objectives  shared by the Member  States who wish to participate. 

33.  Without prejudice to the European Community's competencies, in particular those arising 
from  Article  129,  Title  VI  of  the  Treaty  on  European  Union  also  identifies  the fight 
against drug addiction as a matter of common interest to be addressed in the context of 
cooperation  in  the  fields  of  Justice  and  Home  affairs.  This  opens  the  possibility  of 
developing  new  instruments  (joint  positions, joint  actions,  conventions)  for  which  the 
Commission or any Member State may make proposals, and which may have an impact 
also on public health policies. In the context of its Communication on a European Union 
Action Plan to combat drugs, the Commission also addresses this aspect. 

12 

E. 

Cooperation  with  international  organizations  and  third  countries  regarding  drug 
dependence 

34.  Drug  dependence  knows  no  frontiers  be  they  national  or  those  of  the  Union.  Close 
cooperation is called for with third countries, particularly with the Union's neighbouring 
countries, net oniy i»controlling drag trafficking and supply but also m the field of drug 
demand reduction. 

35. 

The existing exchange of infernal 
reinforced. Considering the scale of movement at the Union's borders, links need to be 
establiAed with fee structures responsible fer prevention aod fc* the treatment of drug 
dependence- in theIMonfo neigfrcKxirffi&CCTuitrics, These cohanges of information could 
be completed by an nrchangc of speaaHsfe and tie joint organization of  conferences, 

36.  Cooperation  is  intergovernmeolal  international  organizatioiis  should  be  pursued  and 
developed with each of the organizations which deal with the different  aspects of chug 
demand reduction, ht so far a» public health aspect it concerned 

l it  hfib with me Council of Europe^s PompiaVai Gixwp on subjecU of coinmon 
intecest wilt he  consolidated and joint  projects established to  pod  efforts and 
ayoeddnpHcafiott of effort. 

Cooperation with the WHO on the health aspects of drug dependence, including 
the asks with AIDS and me study  of  new forms of drug dependence, will  be 

dose cooperation with the ILO on drug dependence at work will also be pursued 
in order to develop prevention and assistance models appropriate to the workplace. 

The United Nations Drug Control Programme (UNDCP) is currently stepping up 
Ha activities  in the field of  prevention  and  demand reduction,  including  action 
taken  in  the  framework  of  international  conventions.  This  will  allow  the 
establishment  of  appropriate  links  between  the  Community  and  the  UNDCP 
activities. Of particular importance is the improvemem rf tests fOT drugs in body 
fluids. 

Cooperation  with  UNESCO,  as  concerns  the  prevention,  education  and  drugs 
programme  (PEDDRO)  which  is  being  jointly  developed  and  which  will  be 
pursued and  intensified. 

Due  to  its  strengthened  role  under  the  TEU,  the  Commission  can  encourage  such 
cooperation  by  two  means:  via  its  right  of  initiative  pursuant  to  Article  129  of  the 
European Community Treaty  and via the right of initiative it is enjoying under Title V 
of the Treaty  on European Union concerning the Common Foreign and  Security Policy 
(CFSP). The European Council in Lisbon, by identifying the fight against drugs as an area 

13 

suitable for joint action by the European Union in the framework  of the CFSP paved the 
way for  complementarity  action by the Union  on the external  level. 

37.  Without  prejudice  to  relations  which  the  Commission  may  maintain  pursuant  to 
Article 229 of the EC Treaty, the EMCDDA will also have to pursue cooperation, in its 
field of competence, with these organizations, while avoiding any duplication  of work. 

V. 

THE PREVENTION  OF DRUG DEPENDENCE AND COMMUNITY ACTION 

38. 

39. 

The extent and complexity of the drugs phenomenon is closely bound up with the socio-
cultural,  legal,  medical,  socio-psychological  and  economic  factors  prevailing  in  the 
Member  States.  These  factors  vary  from  one  Member  State  to  another  and  bear  on 
Member  States' policies in the field of drugs(19) 

There  are  certain  points  of  convergence  in  the  individual  approaches  used  by 
Member  States,  a  number  of  which  have been  outlined  in the  past,  particularly  by  the 
Council.  They  underline  for  example,  the  need  to  concentrate  efforts  primarily  on 
prevention and more particularly  on information  and health education for the public and 
target  groups(20)  and  the  need  to  establish  clearly-defined  policies  to  deal  with  the 
problems resulting from  drug use. These policies, according to the Council(21), ought to 
establish  not  only the ultimate  objective  (an  end to  drug use) but  also the  intermediate 
objectives which need to be attained (lowering of the mortality rate, reduction of the  risks 
of infection  by HIV or other agents of infection,  reduction  of marginalization). 

A. 

A multidisciplinary  and multidimensional  context 

40.  Drug dependence is a complex phenomenon which needs to be tackled at various levels -
involve 
international 
local,  national,  Community  and 
multidisciplinary  and multidimensional responses and actions across a range of  different 
areas. Policies on the prevention  of drug dependence need in particular to take account 
of the  following: 

in  ways  which 

-  and 

activities targeted  at high risk groups in  specific  settings; 

identification,  development,  testing  and  use  of  best  practices  for  disseminating 
information  and providing advice to target groups; 

(19) 
(20) 

(21) 

Extract from  the Resolution  of  11 November 1991. 
Conclusion  of  3 December  1990 (OJ No C  329,  31.12.1992  p  20) and Declaration  of 
15 May  1992 (OJ No C  148,  12.6.1992,  p. 3). 
Conclusion  of  16 May  1989 (OJ No C  185, 22.7.1989, p. 3). 

14 

initiatives  in  the  field  of  education  and  training  in  order  to  develop  drug 
prevention strategies; 

work  on early  detection  and counselling  of  drug users; 

rehabilitation  and social  reintegration  of  drug addicts. 

The scope for Community  action in so far as these areas are concerned can be addressed 
under a number of different  headings: 

1. 

Specific  preventive  actions 

41. 

Certain  social  aspects which  are  often  associated  with  drug users  need  to be  taken  into 
account  in  any  preventive  approach  as they  can  make  it difficult  to  carry  out  effective 
actions. These may include a high degree of marginalization, aberrant behaviour resulting 
from  the  administration  of  substances  highly  dangerous  to  health,  and  considerable 
difficulties  in ensuring the adequate delivery of medical  and social  services. Nevertheless 
experience shows that appropriate and specific preventive actions help to motivate addicts 
to stop taking drugs or to assist them to reduce their intake or to persuade them to change 
to  safer  methods  of  administration.  This  demonstrates  that  such  actions  have  to  be 
continued to  reduce the risk associated with  drug dependence.  High priority  also needs 
to be  given  to preventive  actions designed  to  make  European  citizens  more  aware and 
knowledgeable  about  drug  dependence,  its  causes  and  consequences,  through  specific 
information  and health  education  actions.  In  addition,  actions  need  to be  undertaken  to 
improve the knowledge and skills of professionals  directly involved  in the prevention  of 
drug dependence. Little is known about drug consumption methods and trends within the 
Community in particular in target groups,  such as ethnic minorities and immigrants and 
the factors  shaping  drug use,  in  particular those  shaping initial  experimentation  and the 
transition to regular use. Furthermore, drug demand is constantly  changing and therefore 
on-going  qualitative  and  quantitative  evaluations  of  the  programmes  and  actions  are 
needed in  order to improve and, where appropriate,  re-define prevention policies. 

Improvement of  awareness among the public  and specific  target groups 

42. 

There  is  a need for  specific  actions  designed  to  promote  healthy  lifestyles  and provide 
objective information to the general public and specific target groups (particularly parents 
and young  people)  on  drugs  and  drug  addiction,  in  addition  to  the  actions to  be taken 
within  the  context  of  the  programme  of  Community  action  on  health  promotion, 
information,  education  and  training(22>.  These  call  for  the  deployment  of  a  variety  of 
strategies,  ranging from  the organization  of  official  prevention  campaigns involving the 
use  of  the  media,  to  the  promotion  of  positive  role  models  in  the  sport  and  cultural 
worlds. 

(22) 

COM(94) 202 final of  1 June  1994. 

15 

43. 

Activities  in this area which  would  be worthy  of  consideration  include: 

the  organization  of  further  European  Drug  Prevention  Weeks.  These  could  be 
organized  every two years, as suggested  in the evaluation  of the  1992 Week, and 
could  be  devoted  on  each  occasion  to  a  different  theme  to  be  chosen  in  liaison 
with the national  coordinators; 

the  creation  and  supporting  of  telephone  help-line  initiatives  directed  towards 
young  people,  and  investigate  the  possibilities  of  introducing  a  single  standard 
telephone  number for  such  services  in  all  Member  States; 

support for  pilot  actions  to  improve  the  effectiveness  of  information  campaigns 
and  determine  the  awareness  of  Europeans  with  regard  to  drugs  and  drug 
prevention including  changes in their attitudes towards drugs; 

support  for  the  creation  and  testing  of  tools  and  models  for  disseminating 
information  in at-risk areas; 

support  for  the  identification  and  use  of  appropriate  information  vectors  for 
particular  targets  (schools,  workplace,  hospitals,  pharmacies,  doctors'  waiting 
rooms,  prisons,  military  barracks, etc.); 

facilitating  exchanges  concerning  the  most  effective  methods  of  conveying 
information, especially to certain groups identified as being particularly vulnerable; 

making available the anti-doping code of  conduct for athletes. 

Health  education 

44. 

45. 

In line with the guiding principles  mentioned  in the previous European Plan to Combat 
Drugs and the approach developed in the Commission Communication on the framework 
for action in the field of public health, prevention of drug dependence through education 
is  best  carried  out  in  the  general  context  of  promoting  more  positive  attitudes  towards 
health. 

Specific measures have been identified in the past, notably by the European Parliament*23*, 
and  these  will  need  to  be  tied  in  with  the  actions  developed  under the  programme  of 
Community  action  on  health  promotion,  information,  education  and training.  They  are 
aimed  not  only  at  schoolchildren  and  students  but  also  at  groups  outside  the  school 
environment, as well as with families and all those involved in the provision of education. 

(23) 

Resolution  on  education  for  health  and  drugs  misuse  in  the  Member  States  of  the 
European Community  and the Council  of Europe (OJ No  C  150,  15.6.1992,  p. 42). 
* 

16 

46. 

Activities in this area which  could be considered include: 

- 

the  creation  of  a  pilot  Community  network  giving  priority  to  drug  prevention, 
based on a selection by Member States of schools located in at-risk areas and in 
association with the existing European network  of health-promoting  schools; 

the establishment and implementation of integrated projects, programmes and basic 
drug  prevention  guidelines  in  the  schools  involved  in  this  network,  with  the 
participation wherever possible of  children and parents; 

initiatives  to  make  education  on  drugs  a  more  integral  part  of  the  vocational 
training received by teachers and youth leaders in the field of drug prevention, and 
initiatives to improve coordination between all those involved in the provision  of 
education (parents' organizations, the teaching profession, educators, addict support 
associations,  the medical  profession,  etc.); 

- 

studies  and  analyses  to  highlight  children's  and  young  persons'  perceptions  of 
drugs and about the availability  of  drugs in  schools. 

Training 

47. 

The  effectiveness  of  all  of  the  abovementioned  actions  depends  on  the  availability  of 
suitably  trained  personnel.  Further  training  in  drug  problems  is  needed  not  only  for 
professionals  with direct responsibilities in the  field  of prevention (health  professionals, 
educators, etc..) but also for professionals  likely  to come into contact with drug addicts 
in  other  contexts  (prison  staff  and  police  officers),  so  as  to  help  them  understand  and 
diagnose the problem  and employ  appropriate prevention strategies. 

48. 

Activities in this area which  could be considered include: 

staff  and  student  exchanges  and  exchanges  of  information  and  experience, 
including the establishment of pilot projects for exchanges of experience between 
local  authorities  in  different  Member  States  concerning  prevention  models  and 
practices, with  a view to developing joint actions; 

further-training  programmes 
practitioners  and pharmacists; 

for  health  professionals,  especially  general 

the  development  of  training  material  geared  to  the  needs  of  the  professional 
groups concerned; 

the  implementation  of  pilot  projects  for  further-training  of  police  and  prison 
officers; 

the establishment  of  multidisciplinary  drug prevention training modules. 

17 

49. 

Community  programmes and actions in the  field  of  education, traimng  and youth,  and 
in  ^tioular  ^e  propose  SOCRATES,  LEONARDO  DA  VINCI  and  YOUTH  FOR 
EUROPE  HI programmes,  may  serve  as  a  framework  for  projects  aimed  at promoting 
transnational  cooperation,  mobility  and exchanges in this field. 

50. 

51. 

The health risks resulting from drug use are considerable.  They arise from the shared use 
of injecting equipment among intravenous drug users which encourages the transmission 
of  diseases,  such  as  hepatitis  and  ADDS and  can  lead  to  poisoning  by  septicaemia,  and 
death from  overdose. 

Preventing  communicable  diseases  essentially  depends  on  changing the risk behaviours 
of  certain  vulnerable  groups.  However,  it  is  difficult  to  persuade  drug  addicts to  make 
such changes: because they  are often  socially  marginalized,  they  are a difficult  group to 
reach  and they  tend to pay  little  heed to official  messages. 

52. 

Activities in this area which  could be considered  include: 

support for the introduction of specific  methods of conveying information  on  risk 
behaviour  to  intravenous  drug users,  including  the  involvement  of  persons  with 
first-hand experience  who  can  use  their  knowledge  to  help  to  spread  relevant 
information  concerning prevention; 

support  for  the  introduction  of  innovatory  methods  and  for  the  most  effective 
methods of prevention, including projects involving the distribution of disinfection 
kits and safe  injecting  equipment; 

an assessment  of the impact of  syringe distribution schemes in terms of reducing 
the risks associated with  injecting  drugs,  and the accompanying  health measures 
required,  including the development  of maintenance programmes; 

support for the establishment  of  reception  and information  structures; 

the promotion  of  coordination between the poison  control  centres to establish an 
early warning  system  for instances  of  acute poisoning  linked to drug use; 

the  establishment  of  an  inventory  of  the  drugs  which  are  commonly  used 
intravenously  by  addicts  and their side  effects. 

2. 

Early  detection  and  screening 

53. 

There are two main concerns with regard to  early  detection  and screening for  drug use, 
each corresponding to  a particular environment,  the  immediate  environment  of  children 
and young  persons  and the work  environment.  These are: 

18 

the early  detection  and counselling  of  children  and young  persons who  are drug 
users; 

the reliability  of tests on body tissues and fluids  to  detect the use  of  illicit  drugs 
at work. 

54. 

55. 

56. 

Vigilance, resulting in early detection of a child's or young person's involvement in drugs 
followed up by an appropriate response, can prevent a slide into drug dependence.  To be 
able  to  detect  the  problem,  the  persons  concerned  need  to  be  able to  recognize  certain 
behavioural changes symptomatic of drug taking, and those responsible for young persons 
need to have access to advice and to appropriate preventive instruments. Initiatives aimed 
at  providing  advice  to  teachers  and  others  in  the  young  person's  social  environment 
(e.g.  youth leaders and parents) concerning the signs of possible drug use by children and 
young persons are of  particular importance. 

Drug  taking  can  indeed  be  confirmed  by  testing  body  tissues  and  fluids,  e.g.  hair and 
urine. But the results of such tests need to be interpreted with care: comparisons between 
different tests have highlighted the risk of false-positive or false-negative results and may 
need to be confirmed.  There is  also a need to ensure quality  assurance in testing. 

The question of the reliability of tests on body fluids to detect the use of illicit drugs was 
the subject of the Conclusions of the Council and the Ministers for Health of the Member 
States  meeting  within  the  Council  of  16  May  1989(24).  The  Commission,  with  the 
assistance of a working party composed of representatives of the Member States, is in the 
process  of  drafting  a  Communication.  The  actions  envisaged  respond  to  the  different 
points contained  in the Council's  conclusions. 

3. 

SocjaJ and occupational  reintegration 

57. 

The  social  repercussions  of  drug  addiction  are  manifold,  and  addicts  are  often 
marginalized by their addictive behaviour.  A recent study at European level  showed,  for 
example, that drugs are by far and away the biggest cause of  social  exclusion, with 60% 
of the interviewees  (out of  a sample of  20  000  persons)  saying they  would  object to an 
immediate neighbour who was  a drug addict (as  opposed to 47% for  an alcoholic,  36% 
for  a  person  with  "a  criminal  record",  32%  for  an  extreme  right-winger,  30%  for  a 
homosexual  and 26% for a person suffering  from AIDS). Health support for drug addicts 
therefore  needs to be accompanied  by  social  support,  a sine  qua non for their  effective 
reintegration  into  society.  In  terms  of  cost-effectiveness,  it  seems  that  the  absence  of 
social  reintegration measures imposes an additional financial burden on the public health 
system  by undermining the prevention  process. 

(24) 

OJ No  C  185, 22.7.1989,  p. 2. 

19 

58. 

Activities  in this area which  could be  considered  include: 

evaluating  and  strengthening  policies  and  practices  concerning  the  reintegration 
and rehabilitation of drug addicts at the workplace,  including actions taken by the 
private sector; 

programmes and pilot projects offering vocational  training opportunities in addict 
reception centres, with a view  to creating  standard programmes; 

sporting  and cultural  programmes which,  by  promoting  healthy  lifestyles  among 
drug addicts, facilitate their integration  into other circles. 

4. 

Drug addicts in prison 

59. 

The  results  of  the  Seminar  on  "Management  of  Drug  Addicts  in  Prison" of  3-5  March 
1994,  organized by the Commission with the assistance  of the Greek  authorities and the 
participation  of  the  Pompidou  Group  of  the  Council  of  Europe  in  response  to  the 
Resolution of the Council and Ministers for Health meeting within the Council  concerning 
the treatment and rehabilitation of drug addicts serving sentences for criminal  offenses(25), 
have  helped to identify  the requisite  spheres of action. 

60. 

Activities in this area which  could be  considered  include: 

the  development  of  training  of  all  categories  of  staff  (prison  officers,  prison 
governors and health workers) taking into account experiences which have already 
been  put into practice,  including  health  related problems  such  as AIDS; 

the development of risk reduction projects in prisons taking into account measures 
which  are already  implemented  in the  community; 

actions for certain groups of  inmates with  specific  problems; 

re-enforcement  of  links  between  the  services  available  in  the  community  and 
programmes within the prison. 

61. 

Any  activities  concerning  drug  addicts  in  prison  under  Article  129  could  also  be 
complemented  by  initiatives within the framework  of Title VI of the TEU,  for  example 
regarding the use  of  penal  measures to reinforce  motivation for  treatment (early  release 
conditional  on entering  a treatment programme). 

(25) 

Resolution  of  11 November  1991  (OJ No  C 304,  23.11.1991, p. 7). 

20 

5. 

Licit  substances 

62. 

63. 

As far as alcohol  abuse and pharmaceutical  products abuse are concerned, there is a need 
to undertake preventive efforts in the fields of information, education and training targeted 
at  those  at  risk  and  in  specific  situations  such  as  educational  establishments  and  the 
workplace.  In  particular,  pilot  projects  aimed  at  identifying  preventive  principles  and 
methods would be of value. 

Council Directive 92/109/EEC*26* on the manufacture and placing on the market of certain 
substances used in the illicit manufacture of  narcotic  drugs and psychotropic  substances 
contains  provisions to  ensure that  precursor  and essential  chemicals  are not  diverted  to 
illicit  drugs manufacture.  The  Commission  will  monitor  the  correct  application  of  the 
mechanisms foreseen by this Directive.  The Commission  will  propose,  if necessary,  the 
appropriate  actions to  ensure  that  all  misuses  of  licit  substances  are  avoided  as  far  as 
possible. 

6. 

Data  collection 

64.  When the European Committee to Combat Drugs (CELAD) began its work on December 
1989,  it  quickly  concluded  that the  Member  States information  sources  on  drugs were 
scattered, heterogenous and contradictory,  making it difficult,  if not impossible, to form 
a reliable picture of the extent of the drug problem on which common actions carried out 
by the Member Sates and the Community  should be based  In due course, this led to the 
setting  up  of  the  European  monitoring  centre  for  drugs  and  drug  addiction*27* which, 
among  other in  the  field  of  drug  prevention,  will  have  the  task  to  collect  and  analyse 
existing  data.  The EMCDDA  should be  able to map out for the Member  States and the 
Commission  the  extent  of  the  drug  abuse  problem  and  the  structures,  trends  and 
consequences  of  drug  abuse,  while  at  the  same  time  facilitating  the  compatibility  and 
comparability  of  medico-social  data, the  establishment  of  a Community-wide  overview 
of  Member  States'  comparative  studies  and  basic  statistics,  and  the  establishment  of  a 
European network for the collection  of  health data on drugs and drug addiction.  It will 
also  be  an  aid  to  decision  making  in  the  Member  States  and  the  Community.  The 
EMCDDA  and Eurostat will  ensure the  coordination  of the statistical  programme of the 
EMCDDA with the existing  socio-economic statistical  system  of  the European Union. 

65. 

(26) 

(27) 

The  Commission  will  act  in  close  cooperation  with  the  EMCDDA  in  order  to  avoid 
duplication of efforts and to generate mutual added value. Through its participation in the 
managing  board  of  the  centre,  the  Commission  will  seek  to  ensure  that  Community 
priorities and needs are fully taken into account in EMCDDA programmes. Moreover, the 
Commission,  on  the  basis  of  data  collected  or  generated  by  the  EMCDDA,  may  take 

OJ No L  370,  19.12.1992,  p.  76. 
Council  Regulation  (EEC) No  302/93  of  8 February  1993  (OJ No L 36,  12.2.1993,  p. 1 
and OJ No  C 225,  20.8.1993, p. 3). 

21 

66. 

67. 

appropriate  initiatives,  pursuant to the  Treaties,  for  the  introduction  of  measures  or the 
implementation  of  actions  that have  been  identified  either  by  the  EMCDDA  or by  the 
Commission  as necessary  or particularly  promising. 

In  order  to  support  Member  States'  epidemiological  monitoring 
initiatives  the 
Commission,  in cooperation with EMCDDA  and the Council  of Europe, will  encourage 
the  extension  to  all  Member  States  of  the  "Multivilles"  (Multi-Cities)  study  organized 
under  the  auspices  of  the  Pompidou  Group,  the  aim  being  in  particular  to  encourage 
technical  cooperation between the major European cities. 

Organizations in the Member  States have  developed  various management models, based 
on  a variety  of  different  philosophies.  While  it  is  not  part of  the  Community's  remit to 
evaluate  these  models  as  such,  a  coordinated  action  to  identify  the  different  methods 
employed  would  be  of  value.  A  first  contribution  should  be  available  from  the  COST 
Social  Sciences research  collaboration.  It has recently  set up Action  A6 which  is  a first 
network  on  the  "Evaluation  of  Action  against  Drug  Abuse  in  Europe"  with  working 
groups  on  "Evaluation  of  policies,  policy  changes  and  societal  responses  to  policies", 
"Evaluation of primary prevention", "Evaluation of treatment",  "Development of research 
instruments" and "Drug related delinquency".  The Commission will promote in particular 
actions designed  to identify  the  measures employed  on the basis  of  an inventory  drawn 
up with Member States. 

7. 

Formulation  and dissemination  of  research 

68. 

69. 

As  stated  in the Communication  of  the Commission  on the framework  for  action  in the 
field  of  public health,  Article  129 gives the Community  a clear mandate for research in 
the  field  of  disease  causation  and transmission.  The Commission  will  ensure  coherence 
between the drug dependence programme, the work carried out by the EMCDDA and the 
Community's  specific  programmes  of  the  4th  Framework  Programme  for  research, 
particularly  regarding  research  on biomedicine  and  health  including  research  on  causes 
and toxic  effects  of  drug dependence but also taking into consideration  results from  the 
new  Targeted  Socio-Economic  Research  programme,  in  particular  those  arising  from 
"Research  into  social  integration  and  social  exclusion  in  Europe",  as  well  as  from  the 
COST action A6. 

The identification  of  needs in drug dependence  research is  an ongoing  activity.  There is 
a need to ensure dissemination  of research results and  exchanges of scientific  personnel. 
There is also a need to ensure the use of  these research findings in policy  decisions and 
in  prevention  strategy.  The  Commission  will  in  particular  encourage  Member  States to 
involve  researchers  in  any  activity  concerning  the  preparation  of  policies  on  the 
prevention  of  drug dependence. 

22 

First programme of Community  action on the prevention  of drug dependence 

1 

Areas of activities 

70. 

Community  action  on  the  prevention  of  drug  dependence  must  have  regard  to  the 
objectives  and  means  set  out  in  paragraphs  16  to  22  of  the  present  Communication, 
particularly in relation to the visibility and added value of Community action. In addition, 
the  limited  resources  available  suggest  that  the  Community  should  focus  on the most 
promising activity areas and to use the most cost-effective instruments. In order to achieve 
these objectives, the Commission proposes that this action programme should concentrate 
on activities in the following  areas: 

improving  public awareness  in  particular by  means of coordinated  transnational 
actions.  The  previous  Community  experience  highlights  the  visibility  and  cost 
effectiveness  of  actions in this field; 

using the opportunities provided  in  other  Community  policies,  programmes and 
instruments, when appropriate, to prevent and combat drug dependency especially 
in the  areas  outlined  in  paragraph  22 of  this  Communication  and,  of  course, in 
other health programmes based on Article 129, e.g. AIDS and other communicable 
diseases; health promotion, information,  education  and training; 

supporting initiatives and actions relating to young people of school-going age in 
relevant  environments - home,  leisure  and  school  - and  the  promotion  of  best 
practices in this regard. In all Member States, young people are considered as the 
primary  target  group  for  drug  prevention.  The  diversity  of  the  preventive 
approaches  adopted  can  provide  examples  of  good  practice  which  helps  those 
responsible  in  the  field  of  drug  prevention  in  Member  States  to  learn  from 
experiences of each other.  Setting as a target the best results already  obtained in 
a given area anywhere in the Community, the Commission will support initiatives 
and pilot projects and, as necessary, facilitate cooperation and coordinate activities 
at Community  level. 

2. 

Consultation  and Participation 

(a) 

Advisory body  on drug dependence 

71.  As regards the implementation  of programmes adopted by the European Parliament and 
the  Council,  by  means  of  decisions  pursuant  to  Article  129,  the  Commission  will  be 
proposing  the  establishment  of  an  Advisory  Committee,  chaired  by  the  Commission 
comprising  representatives  of  each  Member  State.  The  composition  of  the  Committee 
should  ensure  adequate  representation  of  the  interests  and  expertise  of  the  national 
authorities, the health professionals  and the non-governmental  organizations in the  field. 

23 

(b) 

Other groups involved 

72. 

73. 

The Commission will  examine with the Member  States whether  or not the  setting up of 
national coordination committees for the drug dependence programme would enhance the 
motivation  and involvement  of the national  players.  These national  committees could be 
a central point of reference for the many different organizations and professions involved 
in  this work. 

In  the  past,  the  non-governmental  organizations  active  in  the  prevention  of  drug 
dependence  have  contributed  generously  both  funds  and  expertise  to  the  realization  of 
Community  actions,  such  as  the  European  Drug  Prevention  Weeks.  In  view  of  the 
instrumental  role,  in  prevention,  care  and  research,  played  by  these  organizations  the 
Commission will  maintain and strengthen its links with them, both through the Advisory 
Committee described above and through direct links in particular with existing networks. 

3. 

Evaluation  and reports 

74. 

The evaluation and reporting structure of the action plan will  comprise two key elements: 

an independent  peer review  of the major activities  supported; 

a  report  on  actions  undertaken  under  the  programme,  to  be  submitted  to  the 
relevant Institutions by the Commission half-way  through programme, and a  final 
report at the  end of the programme. 

In addition, the Commission will  ensure that the results of the most significant  actions, 
and initiatives are made available to interested parties and the general  public. 

24 

ANNEX 

CONCLUSIONS AND RESOLUTIONS OF THE HEALTH 

COUNCIL CONCERNING DRUG DEMAND REDUCTION IN 

THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITY AND ALCOHOL ABUSE 

25 

MAIN TEXTS PUBLISHED IN THE OFFICIAL JOURNAL 

1. 

2. 

3. 

4. 

5. 

6. 

7. 

8. 

9. 

Resolution  of  the Council  and  the  Ministers  for  Health  of the Member  States  meeting 
within  the Council  of  16 May  1989  concerning  a European  network  of  health  data on 
drug abuse (OJ No C  185, 22.7.1989, p. 1). 

Conclusions of the Council  and the Ministers for  Health  of the Member  States meeting 
within the Council  of  16 May  1989 concerning the reliability  of tests on body fluids to 
detect the use of illicit  drugs (OJ No C  185, 22.7.1989, p. 2). 

Conclusions of the Council  and the Ministers for  Health of the Member  States meeting 
within the Council of 16 May 1989 regarding the prevention of AIDS in intravenous drug 
users (OJ No C  185/ 22.7.1989, p. 3). 

Conclusions of the Council  and the Ministers for  Health meeting within the Council  of 
13 November  1989 on the implementation  of coordinated  measures for  preventing drug 
addiction  and coping with drug addicts (OJ No C 31,  9. 2.1990, p. 1). 

Conclusions of the Council  and the Ministers for  Health of the Member  States meeting 
within  the  Council  of  3  December  1990  on  reducing  the  demand  for  narcotic  and 
psychotropic substances (OJ No C 329, 31.12.1990, p. 20). 

Conclusions of the Council  and the Ministers for Health  of the Member  States meeting 
within the Council of 4 June  1991 on the monitoring of  action to reduce drug demand 
(OJNoC  170, 29.6.1991, p. 2). 

Declaration by the Council  and the Ministers for  Health  of the Member  States meeting 
within the Council  of 4  June  1991 on action to  combat the use of drugs, including the 
abuse of medicinal products, in sport (OJ No C  170, 29.6.1991, p. 1). 

Resolution  of the  Council  and  the  Ministers  for  Health of  the Member  States  meeting 
within  the  Council  of  11 November  1991  on  the  treatment  and  rehabilitation  of  drug 
addicts serving sentences for  criminal  offenses  (OJ No C 304, 23.11.1991, p. 7). 

Resolution  of  the  Council  and  of  the  representatives  of  the  governments  of  the 
Member  States meeting within the Council on a code of conduct against doping in sport 
(OJNoC44,  19.2.1992, p. 1). 

26 

10.  Declaration  of the Council  and the Ministers for  Health of the Member  States meeting 
within the Council of  15 May  1992 on European Drug Prevention Week (OJ No C 148, 
12.6.1992, p. 3). 

11. 

Conclusions of the Council  and the Ministers for Health  of the Member  States meeting 
within the Council of 13 November  1992 oa the second report on drug demand reduction 
in the European Community (OJ No C 326,  11.12.1992, p. 3). 

12.  Declaration  of the  Council  of  13 December  1993 on European Drug Prevention  Week 

(OJ No C  15, 18.1.1994, p. 7). 

13.  Resolution  of  the  Council  and  of  the  representatives  of  the  Governments  of  the 
Member Stales  meeting  within  the  Council  of  29  May  1986  on  alcohol  abuse 
<OÏH©C 184,23719S6, j>. 3) 

2? 

Proposal  for a 
EUROPEAN  PARLIAMENT  AND COUNCIL  DECISION 

adopting a programme of Community  action on the prevention 
of drug dependence within the framework  for action 
in the field of public health  (1995-2000) 

28 

EXPLANATORY  MEMORANDUM 

1. 

2. 

3. 

4. 

In its Communication  of 24 November  1993 on the framework  for  action in the field  of 
public health, the Commission identified  drug dependence as a priority for  action as it is 
the  only  threat  specifically  mentioned  in  Article  129  of  the  Treaty  establishing  the 
European  Community. 

Drug dependence is a complex phenomenon in terms of its causes and manifestations, and 
the health  and  social ramifications  are many  and varied.  Although the data supplied by 
the Member  States are not directly  comparable, those furnished  for the second report on 
drug demand reduction in the European Community have revealed disturbing trends such 
as  an  increase  in  drug-related  mortality  and  morbidity,  in  the  number  of  first  users  of 
drugs  and  in  the  number  of  AIDS  cases  linked  to  drug  use.  The  diversity  of  illicit 
products consumed  and the different  methods of consumption, the abuse of alcohol and 
pharmaceutical  products  and  the  deliberate  inhalation  of  toxic  products  for  abusive 
purposes are all factors which give cause for  serious concern, both in the Member States 
and at Community  level. 

Drug  dependence  has  been  a  matter  of  concern  to  all  the  Community  Institutions.  An 
important step towards defining the perspectives for Community activity in this field  was 
taken with the adoption by the European Council  (Rome  1990) of the European Plan to 
Combat Drugs and  its chapter  on  drug  demand  reduction.  Since  1986,  several  Council 
resolutions and conclusions relevant to drug demand reduction have called for Community 
actions to be implemented  concerning: screening and health data, prevention of AIDS in 
drug  addicts;  implementation  of  coordinated  prevention  measures,  exchanges  of 
information;  rehabilitation  of  drug  addicts  serving  sentences  for  criminal  offenses, 
production  of  regular  reports  on  drug  demand  reduction,  and  coordination  of  two 
European Drug Prevention weeks. The European Parliament has also played an important 
role in getting drugs onto the agenda at  Community level, by adopting many Resolutions 
on the matter. 

The  Commission  has  responded  by  undertaking  various  actions  and  initiatives. 
Furthermore,  on a proposal  from  the  Commission  the Council  adopted  a Regulation  in 
February  1993 establishing a European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction, 
which is charged with  providing the Community  and its Member  States with  objective, 
reliable  and  a  comparable  information  at  European  level  concerning  drugs  and  drug 
addiction and their consequences. The Centre will therefore have an important role to play 
in  the  field  of  drug  demand  reduction  to  which  it  will  have  to  give  special  attention 
during its first  three-year work programme. 

29 

5. 

6. 

7. 

8. 

The  identification  of  drug  dependence  in  Article  129  means that  the  Community  must 
consolidate  its  achievements  in  the  field  of  drug  dependence  and  build  on  the  work 
already  carried  out.  The  Commission  has  already  decided  in  its  Communication  on the 
framework  for  action  in  the  field  of  public  health  that  this  would  be  best  achieved  by 
means  of  a specific  programme to be launched  as part of  a strategy  involving  a mix  of 
actions both of those that are general  in nature and those that are disease  specific. 

The  present  proposal  is  the  first  multi-annual  programme  on  drug  dependence  in  the 
framework  of  public  health.  Since  the  Member  States  have  responsibility  for  the 
prevention  of  drug  dependence,  the  guiding  principle  is  that  it  is  up to them  to  define 
appropriate  prevention  programmes.  The  Community's  role  will  focus  primarily  on 
supporting actions undertaken by them, promoting coordination between their policies and 
programmes,  ensuring  better  use  is  made  of  Community  actions  in  relation  to  the 
prevention  of  drug dependence  and promoting  cooperation between  Member  States. 

The  Commission's  role  will  be  to  encourage  and  facilitate  exchanges  of  information, 
experience  and  models  of  good  practise  as  well  as  to  support  and  coordinate,  as 
necessary,  activities  at  Community  level.  The  Commission  will,  in  particular,  support 
proposals  submitted  by  Member  States  and  initiatives  involving  organizations  and 
agencies  active  in  the  field  of  drug  prevention.  Cooperation  with  international 
organizations  and transnational  associations  active  in this area will  also be  fostered. 

Collection of data at Community level, projects having a Community interest, networking 
of  organizations  active in  the  field  of  prevention,  and support  for  pilot  projects  capable 
of  being  transferred  to  other  Member  States  are  all  examples  of  actions  which,  when 
implemented  at  the  Community  level,  can  improve  the  level  of  knowledge  on  drug 
dependence  and its prevention.  The EMCDDA  will  have  a key-role  to  play  in  ensuring 
the  dissemination  of  information  for  this  purpose.  Such  transfers  of  knowledge  and 
practices  can  assist  each  Member  State  and  in  so  doing  illustrate  the  added  value  of 
Community  action. Community  action should also help Member States to re-define their 
strategies and implement  drug prevention measures and policies more  effectively. 

9. 

In view of the complexity  of the drugs phenomenon, policies to combat drug dependency 
must take account of the  following: 

activities targeted  at high risk groups in  specific  settings; 

identification,  development,  testing  and  use  of  best  practices  for  disseminating 
information  and providing  advice to target groups; 

initiatives  in  the  field  of  education  and  training  in  order  to  develop  drug 
prevention  strategies; 

work on early  detection  and counselling  of  drug users; 

rehabilitation  and social  reintegration  of  drug addicts. 

30 

10. 

In taking account of these elements and the need to ensure a Community added-value, this 
Community  action programme will,  in view of the limited resources available, focus on: 

(a) 

(b) 

(c) 

improving  public  awareness  in  particular by  means  of  coordinated  transnational 
actions; 

using the opportunities  provided  in  other Community  policies,  programmes  and 
instruments, when  appropriate,  to prevent and combat  drug dependency; 

supporting initiatives and actions relating to young people of school  going age in 
relevant  environments  -  home,  leisure  and  school  -  and  the  promotion  of  best 
practices in this regard. 

11. 

12. 

This programme on the prevention of drug dependence is  a component of  the European 
Union  Action  Han  to  combat drugs,  which draws together  the  various  actions  initiated 
under the three pillars of  the Treaty  on European Union,  i.e.  the Treaty  establishing  the 
European Community,  the  common  foreign  and security  policy,  and justice  and  home 
affairs. 

This proposal for a Council decision takes account of the requests made by the European 
Parliament and by  the Council.  It reflects  the experience  gained  by  the  Commission  in 
implementing a number of  specific  actions on  drug dependence.  It takes account  of  the 
principle of  subsidiarity and recognizes that the situation varies between Member States. 
It  also  introduces  the  appropriate  consultation  procedures  and  suitable  assessment 
measures &r the activities undertaken. 

31 

Proposal for a 
EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND COUNCIL DECISION 

adopting a programme of Community action on the prevention 
of drug dependence within the framework  for action 
in the field of public health (1995-2000) 

THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION, 

Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Community, and in particular Article 129 
thereof, 

Having regard to the proposal from the Commission(1), 

Having regard to the opinion of the Economic and Social Committee(2), 

Having regard to the opinion of the Committee of the Regions(3), 

Whereas  drug  dependence  has  grown  alarmingly  in  the  Member  States  and  has  serious 
implications for the health of individuals and the welfare of the general public; 

Whereas, in creating in 1985 a Committee of Inquiry into the problem of drugs in the Member 
States, the European Parliament demonstrated its desire to study in depth the factors which trigger 
drug demand and enable drugs to continue being produced and distributed; 

Whereas in its resolutions(4) concerning this problem the European Parliament formulated a series 
of  proposals  with  a  view,  in  particular,  to  Community  action  on  the  prevention  of  drug 
dependence; 

Whereas the European Council, at its meeting in Dublin on 25 and 26 June 1990, stressed that 
it was the responsibility of each Member State to develop an appropriate drug demand reduction 
programme and considered that effective action by each Member State, supported by joint action 
of the Twelve and the Community, should be a main priority over the coming years; 

(1) 
m 
(3) 
(4) 

OJ No 
OJ No 
OJ No 
OJ No C 172, 2.7.1984,  p. 130. 
OJ No C 283,  10.11.1986, p. 79. 
OJNoC47,  27.2.1989, p. 51. 
OJNoC  150,  15.6.1992, p. 42. 

32 

Whereas  the  actions  undertaken  at  Community  level  on  the  basis  of  the  Council  resolutions, 
declarations  and  conclusions  relating  to  the  prevention  of  drug  dependence,  and  in  particular 
subsequent  to the  adoption  by  the European  Council,  meeting in  Rome  on  13 and  14  December 
1990, of the European Plan  to Combat Drugs, have helped to sustain  the Member  States'  efforts; 

Whereas these  •- ;:ons need to  '••:•• ^ continued  and consolidated  within  the framework  of the action 
>lic health  s^-. out by  the Commission  Communication  of  24 November  1993(5; 
in the field  of 
and must  take  " tto  account;  as  the  Council  requested  in  its  resolution  of  17 May  1993(6),  otite: 
actions undertaken  by  the  Community  in the field  of  public  health or which  have  an impact  on 
public health; 

Whereas Council  Regulation  (EEC) No  302/93(7)  established  a European  Monitoring  Centre on 
Drugs  and Drug  Addiction to provide  the  Community  and its Member  States with  reliable and 
comparable  information  concerning  drugs and drug addiction; 

Whereas the declaration on the occasion of the entry into force of the Treaty on European Union 
adopted by the European Council,  meeting in Brussels on 29 October  1993, emphasized that the 
Treaty provides "a structured institutional  framework,  so that in particular greater control  can be 
achieved  over those  of  society's  problems that run across frontiers,  such as drugs (...)"; 

Whereas the problems associated  with the drugs phenomenon  are such that they  require a fully 
coordinated and global  strategy, as has been stated by the European Council, meeting in Brussels 
on  10 and  11 December  1993; 

Whereas drug dependence,  the only  scourge expressly  mentioned in the provisions of the Treaty 
establishing  the  European  Community  dealing  with  public  health,  is  therefore  a  priority  for 
Community  action  within  the  framework  for  action  in  the  field  of  public  health  set  out  by 
the  Commission; 

Whereas this programme forms one of the essential component parts of the Communication from 
the  Commission  to  the  Council  and the  European  Parliament  of  23  June  1994  on  a European 
Union  Action  Plan to combat  drugs (1995  -  1999)(8); 

Whereas,  in  accordance  with  the  principle  of  subsidiarity,  actions  on  matters  not  under  the 
exclusive  competence  of  the  Community,  such  as  those  on  drug  dependence,  must  only  be 
undertaken by the Community  when,  by  reason of their scale or effects,  their  objectives  can  be 
better achieved by  the  Community; 

Whereas  cooperation  with  the  competent  international  organizations  and  with  non-member 
countries  should be  strengthened; 

(5) 
(6) 
(7) 
(8) 

COM(93)  559  final. 
OJ No  C  174,  25.6.1993,  p.  1. 
OJNoL36,  12.2.1993, p. 1. 
COM(94) 234 final. 

33 

Whereas  a  multiannual  programme  should  be  launched  with  clear  objectives  for  Community 
action, and priority actions selected with a view to preventing drug dependence and the associated 
problems,  as well  as appropriate evaluation  mechanisms; 

Whereas  the  programme  should  have  as  its  objective  to  contribute  to  the  enhancement  of 
awareness  on  the  use  of  narcotics  and  psychotropic  substances,  on  the  abuse  of  alcohol  and 
pharmaceutical  products,  on  the  misuse  of  chemical  substances  or  products  for  drug  abuse 
purposes; to contribute to improve recognition of risk situations, early detection, counselling and 
advice, health and social  support with a view to preventing drug use, facilitating the end of drug 
use,  lowering  the  mortality  rate,  reducing  the  risks  of  infection  by  agents  of  infection  and 
reducing  marginalization; 

Whereas, from an operational  point of view, the investment made in the past in terms of both the 
establishment of Community networks of non-governmental organizations and of the mobilization 
of  all  those involved  in preventing  drug dependence  should be  safeguarded  and developed; 

Whereas,  however,  possible  duplication  of  effort  should  be  avoided  by  the  promotion  of 
exchanges  of  experience  and  by  the joint  development  of  basic  information  modules  for  the 
public, for health education  and for training members of  health  professions; 

Whereas,  in order to increase the value  and impact  of the programme,  a continuous  assessment 
of the measures undertaken should be carried out, with particular regard to their effectiveness and 
the achievement of objectives both at national  and Community  levels and, where appropriate, to 
make the necessary  amendments; 

Whereas this programme should last five years in order to allow sufficient time to carry out the 
actions required to  achieve the objectives  set, 

HAVE DECIDED  AS FOLLOWS: 

Article  l 

A Community action programme on the prevention of drug dependence is adopted for a five-year 
period,  from 

to 

1. 

The programme will  involve the following  areas of  activities: 

Article  2 

(a) 

(b) 

improving public  awareness,  in particular by  means of  coordinated transnational 
actions; 

using the  opportunities  provided  in  other  Community  policies,  programmes  and 
instruments, when  appropriate, to prevent and combat drug dependency; 

34 

(c) 

initiatives  and  actions  relating  to  young  people  of  school  going  age  in  relevant 
environments - home, leisure and school  - and the promotion of best practices in 
this regard. 

The Commission  shall ensure implementation of the activities  set out in paragraph  1 and 
in the  Annex,  in  accordance  with  Article  4,  and in  close  cooperation with  the  Member 
States and the institutions and organizations active in the prevention of drug dependency. 

The Commission  shall  also ensure that the activities undertaken take due account of the 
information  activities of the European Monitoring Centre on Drugs and Drug Addiction. 

2. 

3. 

Article 3 

The budgetary  authority  shall  determine the appropriations  available  for  each financial  year. 

Article  4 

For  the  implementation  of  the  programme  the  Commission  shall  be  assisted  by  an  advisory 
committee, hereinafter referred to as "the Committee", comprising two representatives from each 
Member  State and chaired by  a Commission  representative. 

The  representative of the Commission shall  submit to the Committee a draft set of the measures 
to be taken. The Committee  shall deliver its opinion on the draft within  a time limit which the 
chairman may  lay  down  according  to the urgency  of  the matter, if  necessary  by taking  a vote. 

The opinion shall be recorded in the minutes; in addition, each Member State shall have the  right 
to ask to have its position  recorded  in the minutes. 

The  Commission  shall  take the  utmost  account  of  the  opinion  delivered  by  the  Committee.  It 
shall  inform  the Committee  of the manner in which  its opinion  has been taken into account. 

Article 5 

1. 

2. 

3. 

In  the  course  of  the  implementation  of  the  programme,  cooperation  with  non-member 
countries, and with international  organizations active in the field  of public health, will be 
encouraged. 

The  EFT A  countries  and  the  countries  from  Central  and  Eastern  Europe  may  be 
associated  with  the  activities  under  the  programme  under  the  conditions  set  out  in  the 
agreements  concluded with  the  Community. 

The Commission  shall  cooperate with the Council  of Europe's Pompidou  Group.  It shall 
inter alia strengthen its regular contacts with international intergovernmental  organizations 
such as the World Health Organization (WHO), the United Nations Educational,  Scientific 
and  Cultural  Organization  (UNESCO),  the  International  Labour  Office  (ILO)  and  the 
United Nations Drug  Control  Programme  (UNDCP). 

35 

Article 6 

1. 

2. 

The  Commission  shall  regularly  publish  information  on  the  actions  undertaken  in  the 
context  of this programme. 

The Commission shall submit to the European Parliament, the Council, the Economic and 
Social  Committee  and  the Committee  of  the Regions  a  mid-term  report  on the  actions 
undertaken, as well  as an overall  report at the end of the programme. 

Article 7 

This Decision shall enter into force on the twentieth day following that of its publication in the 
Official  Journal  of the European  Communities. 

Done at Brussels, 

For the European Parliament 
The President 

For the Council 
The President 

36 

ANNEX 

Programme activities: 

(a) 

(b) 

(c) 

improving  public  awareness  in  particular  by  means  of  coordinated  transnational 
actions.  Activities under  this  heading  might  model  on  the  European  Drug  Prevention 
Week, particularly relevant to highlight and stimulate Community and transnational  efforts 
and on previous coordinated transnational  actions. 

using  opportunities  provided  in  other  Community  policies,  programmes  and 
instruments, when appropriate, to prevent and combat drug dependency. This could 
be relevant in areas such as the social affairs,  particularly  concerning migrants, poverty, 
employment, protection of workers' health and safety  and the structural Funds including 
Community initiatives; the single market and consumer policy, particularly as regard drug 
precursors,  pharmaceutical  and  medicinal  products  and  dangerous  substances  and 
preparations; education and training; activities in the field of culture, communication and 
information;  research  and  health  systems,  on  addiction  behaviour  as  described  in  the 
Commission proposal for  a specific RTD programme and in the area of biomedicine and 
health (1994 -1998) and, of course, other programmes based  on Article  129, e.g.  AIDS 
and other communicable diseases, health promotion, information,  education and training. 

initiatives  and  actions  relating  to  young  people  in  school-going  age  in  relevant 
environments - home, leisure and school -  and the promotion of best practices in this 
regard. Young people are considered as the primary target group for the purpose of drug 
prevention. The diversity of the preventive approaches adopted can provide examples of 
good practices which help those responsible in the field of drug prevention  in Member 
States to  learn  from  experiences  of  each  other.  A  specific  support  in  particular  to  the 
dissemination  of  information  and  advice  directed  towards  young  people  in  relevant 
environments - home, leisure, school - is therefore  likely to be of most value. 

37 

FINANCIAL  STATEMENT 

1. 

Title of operation 

Health  aspects  of  drug  abuse: first Community  action  programme  in  the  field  of  drug 
dependence 

2. 

Budget heading involved 

B3-4303 (formerly  B3-440), in part; chapter B3-40 in part. 

3. 

Legal bases 

Resolution  of the  Council  and  the Ministers  for  Health  of  the Member  States  meeting 
within  the Council  of  16 May  1989 concerning  a European  network  of  health  data on 
drug abuse (OJ No C  185, 22.7.1989, p. 1). 

Conclusions of the Council  and the Ministers for  Health of the Member  States meeting 
within the Council  of  16 May  1989 concerning the reliability  of tests on body  fluids to 
detect the use of illicit drugs (OJ No C  185, 22.7.1989, p. 2). 

Conclusions of the Council  and the Ministers for  Health meeting within the Council  of 
13 November  1989 on the implementation  of coordinated  measures for  preventing drug 
addiction  and coping with  drug addicts (OJ No C 31, 9.2.1990,  p. 1). 

Conclusions  of the Council  and the Ministers for  Health  meeting within the Council of 
3 December  1990  on  reducing  the  demand  for  narcotic  and  psychotropic  substances 
(OJ No C 329, 31.12.1990, p. 20). 

Conclusions of the European Council of 14 and 15 December  1990 on the European plan 
to combat drugs. 

Conclusions of the Council  and the Ministers for  Health  of the Member  States meeting 
within the Council  of  4 June  1991 on the monitoring  of action to reduce  drug demand 
(OJNoC  170, 29.6.1991, p. 2). 

Resolution  of  the  Council  and  the Ministers  for  Health  meeting  within  the  Council  of 
11 November  1991 on the treatment and rehabilitation of drug addicts serving sentences 
for  criminal  offences  (OJ No C 304, 23.11.1991, p. 7). 

Declaration  of the Council  and the Ministers for  Health  of the Member  States  meeting 
within the Council of  15 May  1992 on European Drug Prevention Week (OJ No C 148, 
12.6.1992, p. 3). 

38 

Conclusions of the Council  and the Ministers for  Health  of the Member  States meeting 
within the Council of 13 November  1992 on the second report on drug demand reduction 
in the European Community  (OJ No C 326,  11.12.1992, p. 3). 

Council communication concerning the framework  for action in the field of public health 
(COM(93) 559 final). 

Declaration  of  the  Council  of  13.12.1993  on  European  Drug  Prevention  Week 
(OJNoC  15, 18.1.1994, p. 7). 

Articles 3(0)  and  129 of the Treaty  establishing the European  Community. 

4. 

Description  of operation 

4.1  General  objective 

Community action programme to prevent drug dependence, inter alia, with a view 
to  implementing  earlier  conclusions  and  resolutions  of  the  Health  Council  in 
accordance with the broad lines of the European Plan to combat drugs. 

The  present  programme  seeks  to  encourage  cooperation  between  the  Member 
States, to provide backup for  them and to promote coordination  of their policies 
and programmes with a view to preventing the use of narcotics and psychotropic 
substances, the misuse of alcohol and pharmaceutical  products, and the diversion 
of chemical  products for  drugs purposes. 

Intermediary objectives: reduced mortality, reduced risk, particularly of infection 
by the AIDS virus or other infectious  agents, reduced  social  marginalization. 

Ways  and  means  of  achieving  this  objective:  Stimulating  Member  States  to 
develop their own resources for preventing drug addiction, to develop prevention 
strategies  and  intra-Community  cooperation,  more  particularly  by  providing 
support  for  coordinated  transnational  actions  to  improve  public  awareness;  by 
using opportunities provided by other Community policies and by actions focused 
on a specific target group in relevant environments: young people of school-going 
age. 

4.2 

Period covered and arrangements for  renewal  or extension 

Five years. Arrangements for renewal or extension not yet made; these will be the 
subject  of a Commission  proposal. 

39 

5. 

Classification  of expenditure  or revenue 

Non-compulsory  expenditure; differentiated  appropriations. 

6. 

Type of expenditure or revenue 

100%  subsidy:  Yes,  in  exceptional  cases,  for  studies,  provision-of-services 
contracts, and for  work ordered  and of direct use to the Commission. 

Subsidy for joint financing with other sources in the public and/or private sector: 
the  most frequent  option (rarely amounting to more than  70% of the total value 
of the proposed  projects). 

7. 

Financial  impact 

7.1  Method of calculating  total  cost of operation: see point  7.2 

7.2 

Itemized breakdown  of cost 

Reminder: 

Appropriations authorized  1994 - B3 - 440 

Commitment 
4.8(1) 

Payment 

216 

Indicative breakdown in million ECU: This purely indicative breakdown is without prejudice 
to the amounts which will  actually  be assigned  by the budgetary  authority  for  each  of the 
years under consideration.  The breakdown by field of activity is given purely for guidance. 
The indicative amounts for the successive years of implementation will be decided on in the 
framework  of subsequent preliminary  draft  budgets(2). 

(i) 

(2) 

Includes ECU 3.3 million for the health aspect of drug abuse. 
The increase envisaged in the budget will be accommodated from within chapter heading B3-40. 

40 

FIELD  OF 
ACTIVITY 

1994 
Budget 

1995 
PDB 

1996 

YEAR 

| 

1997  1998  1999  TOTAL 

1995-
1999 

Indicative 
breakdown 

Indicative planning 

1. Coordinated  transnational 
actions  to  improve  public 
awareness 

2. Initiatives  and  actions 
relating to young  people  of 
school-going  age  in  relevant 
environments 

1.5 

2 

TOTAL 

33 

3.5 

5.5 

6 

6.5 

7 

28.5 

7.3 

Indicative schedule of  appropriations 

1995 

1996 

1997 

1998 

1999 

TOTAL 

5.5 

6 

6.5 

7 

28.5 

3.5 

1.75 

1.23 

0.52 

Commitment 
appropriations 

Payment 
appropriations 

1995 

1996 

1997 

1998 

1999 

Subsequent years 

2.75 

1.93 

0.82 

3.00 

2.10 

0.90 

1.75 

3.98 

5.45 

6.17 

6.67 

4.48 

28.5 

3.25 

2.27 

0.98 

6.5 

3.50 

3.50 

7 

TOTAL 

3.5 

5.5 

6 

8. 

Fraud  prevention  measures; Results of measures taken 

One-off  checks on contractors to  monitor the use of  appropriations,  and the  precise 
arrangements for  such use. Checks have already been carried out in respect of budget 
years  1991, 1992 and  1993, and have proved to be  effective. 

41 

9. 

Elements of cost-effectiveness  analysis 

9.1 

Specific  and quantified  objectives; target  population 

The measures are designed to implement the  "prevention  of  drug addiction" 
aspect  of  Commission  policy  as  announced 
the  Commission's 
communication  on  the  framework  for  action  in  the  field  of  public  health 
(COM(93) 559). On the basis of past experience and the available statistics, 
a  number  of  operational  objectives  have  been  pinpointed:  prevention, 
rehabilitation,  information,  education  and training, with the emphasis in this 
programme being placed on measures concerned with: 

in 

better information  on the drug addiction phenomenon: general public 
and the target groups; 

identification  of risk situations and early detection: the family  and the 
social environment; risk groups; 

guidance and counselling:  socio-health  professionals; 

health  and  social  care:  socio-health  professionals,  working 
environment, target groups, e.g.  drug addicts in prison. 

Owing to  the  limited  resources  available,  it  has been  necessary  to  identify 
among the abovementioned  fields those where a Community initiative would 
produce  the  most  added  value  and  the  highest  visibility.  Three  areas  have 
been identified  on these criteria.  These are: 

improving  public  awareness  in  particular  by  means  of  coordinated 
transnational  actions; 

using  opportunities  provided  by  other  Community  policies, 
programmes  and  instruments,  when  appropriate,  to  combat  drug 
dependency; 

supporting initiatives and actions relating to young people of school-
going age in relevant environments - home, leisure, school  - and the 
promotion of best practices in this regard. 

9.2 

Grounds for the operation 

Drug dependence is the only health danger which is specifically  mentioned in 
Article  129 of  the  Treaty  on  European  Union,  and  is  thus  automatically  a 
priority  Community  public health  concern.  The scale and importance of this 
multi-faceted  phenomenon  and  the  problems  encountered  by  the  Member 
States  in  tackling  the  serious  social  and  individual  repercussions  of  drug 

42 

addiction have generated  a series of initiatives at Community  level over recent 
years.  The  wide  range  of  initiatives  taken  by  the  Council  and  the  European 
Parliament  shows that  they  too  attach  particular  importance  to  this  problem, 
and that they  feel  that  action  at  Community  level  is essential.  This  is  backed 
up by  Article  129, which  says that drug  dependence  should be  a priority  area 
for  Community  action. 

Rational  utilization  of the available budgetary  resources based  on: 

(a) 

(b) 

concrete  application  of  the  principle  of  subsidiarity  in  terms  of 
identifying  areas of  activity  for  Community initiatives,  the  nature  of 
those  initiatives  and  the  measures  which  should be  taken  and  given 
joint  funding; 

the  concept  of  Community  added value,  which  will  continue  to take 
the  form  of  coordination  of  national  measures,  dissemination  of 
information  and  experience,  designation  of  priorities,  extension  of 
European networks, selection of European projects, and motivation and 
mobilisation  of  all  interested  parties. 

The programme will be implemented primarily by the provision of support for 
projects in the Member States. The selection of priority projects will be based 
very 
intermediate  objectives,  and  the 
implementation  of  the  measures  themselves  will  depend  on  the  quality  and 
reliability of projects submitted during the year to the department responsible. 

largely  on  the  general  and 

The project  selection  criteria are: 

compatibility  with the objectives  and conformity  with  at least  one  of 
the  specified  objectives; 

examination  of  the  Community  added  value  of 
the  project 
(e.g.  transnational  participation,  development  of  a  model  which  is 
applicable  in  other  Member  States,  information  usable  in  other 
Member  States,  etc.); 

anticipated  effectiveness  and return on investment; 

clarity  and justification  of needs; 

target population  or population  reached by  the project; 

appropriateness  of working methods; 

skill  and experience  of the  organizer; 

match of  budgetary  resources to objectives; 

43 

support from  national partners; 

objective  evaluation arrangements. 

9.3  Monitoring  and evaluation  of the operation 

There  will  be  monitoring  arrangements  (a)  at  Community  level,  by  the 
relevant  Commission  departments,  (b)  at  national  level,  by  the  national 
coordination  committees  (where  the Member  States  opt  for  the  creation  of 
such committees), by the ministries responsible for drug addiction prevention, 
by the NGOs and by persons responsible for the implementation and running 
of specific  projects. 

Evaluation  will take the form  of: 

an independent evaluation of the main measures and studies receiving 
funds; 

a  general  report  by  the  Commission  to  the  Council,  the  European 
Parliament, the Economic  and  Social  Committee and the  Committee 
of the Regions on measures taken under the programme, to be made 
at the halfway  stage and on completion  of the programme. 

The performance  indicators selected  for the evaluation  exercise are: 

results and conclusions of the meetings of experts; 

analysis of the proceedings of symposia, and of the list of participants; 

estimate of the target population actually reached, and any media spin 
offs; 

evaluation of the projects by Commission officials  and/or co-workers; 

analysis  of  interim  reports  on  planned  and  funded  measures, with  a 
view, where appropriate, to redirecting the thrust of such measures; 

impact studies carried out by external  organizations; 

appropriateness of the working methods  used by the organizers; 

appropriate match of budget resources to objectives; 

clarity  of initial  objectives; 

skills and experience of organizers; 

dissemination  of results. 

44 

As we are concerned here with public health measures whose effects can only 
be measured over the long term, it will more important to evaluate the process 
than the actual  impact. 

Details and frequency  of planned evaluations: 

interim  and final  reports on the various measures taken; 

development  of a "standard" evaluation  form  to be submitted  by the 
beneficiaries  with  their  final  reports,  the  forms  to  be  checked  by 
officials  (either at the Commission  or on the spot). 

9.4 

Coherence with financial  programming 

Is the operation  included in the DG's financial programming for the relevant 
years? Yes. 

10.  Administrative expenditure (Part A of the budget) 

Staff  assigned exclusively to the operation. In addition to existing staff, there will be 
a need for two A-grade officials,  one B-grade official  and the equivalent  of one and 
a half C-grade officials,  bearing in mind the results of the  1995 budgetary  procedure 
and the Commission's decision  on the allocation of appropriations. 

Staff  appropriation needs: 

Estimated  at approximately  ECU 333 000 in  1995 (titles Al,  A2 and A5). 

For  the  launch  and  implementation  of  this  new  action  programme,  the  following 
meetings and missions are planned for  1995: 

Meetings 

2 meetings of the national  coordinators 
( 2 x 2 4 x 6 58  = 31584) 

6 meetings of experts 
(6 x  12 x 658 = 47 376) 

32 000 

47 000 

conferences  and seminars for presenting the new programme 
(2 x 48 x 658 = 63  168) 

63 000 

Total meetings: 

ECU  142 000 

45 

Missions 

Luxembourg - Brussels (5 missions per month) 
(60 x 200 =  12 000) 

Other missions (Member States) 
(25 x  1 000 = 25 000) 

12 000 

25 000 

Total missions: 

ECU  37 000 

46 

ISSN 0254-1475 

COM(94) 223  final 

DOCUMENTS 

EN 

05 

Catalogue number : CB-CO-94-238-EN-C 

ISBN 92-77-69531-5 

Office for Official Publications of the European Communities 
1^2985 Luxembourg 

47