Opinion of the Economic and Social Committee on the 'Communication from the Commission to the Council, the European Parliament, the Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions on a European Action Plan to Combat Drugs (2000-2004)'
Date: 1999-12-09
Institutions: European Economic and Social Committee, Provisional data
Subjects: action programme, drug traffic, exchange of information, fight against crime, international cooperation, narcotic

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Official Journal of the European Communities

23.2.2000

Opinion of the Economic and Social Committee on the ‘Communication from the Commission
to the Council, the European Parliament, the Economic and Social Committee and the Committee
of the Regions on a European Action Plan to Combat Drugs (2000-2004)’

(2000/C 51/12)

On 8 July 1999 the Economic and Social Committee, acting under the third paragraph of Rule 23 of its
Rules of Procedure, decided to draw up an additional Opinion on the above-mentioned communication.

The Section for Employment, Social Affairs, and Citizenship, which was responsible for preparing the
Committee’s work on the subject, adopted its opinion unanimously on 12 November 1999. The
rapporteur was Ms Hassett.

At its 368th plenary session of 8 and 9 December 1999 (meeting of 8 December 1999), the Economic
and Social Committee adopted the following opinion by 112 votes in favour, no votes against, and with
three abstentions.

1.

Introduction

— to ensure the supply of objective, reliable and comparable

data on the drugs situation in the EU;

On 25 January 1995 the Economic and Social Committee
adopted an own-initiative opinion on the ‘Prevention of Drug
Abuse’ (1) (rapporteur: Mrs Guillaume) in which it, inter alia,
commented on the Action Plan to Combat Drugs, which is
currently in force (1995-1999). This additional own-initiative
opinion builds upon the work which was carried out in that
context.

The Communication from the Commission on a
1.1.
European Action Plan to Combat Drugs (2000-2004) contains:

— a programme to combat illicit drugs using co-ordinated

action at all levels;

— a call for prevention to be given the highest priority;

— proposals to increase the exchange of experience and best

practice;

— proposals to reduce the supply of illicit drugs;

— a call for the integration of Schengen drug-related activities
and the implementation of the EU Action Plan on organ-
ised crime;

— plans to promote at an international level the inclusion of
illicit drugs in agreements on

clauses on control of
development and trade.

The aims and objectives of the European Action Plan

1.2.
are the following:

— to ensure that the issue of the fight against drugs is kept a
major priority for the EU internal and external action;

— to continue the integrated and balanced approach where
supply and demand reduction are seen as mutually rein-
forcing elements;

(1) O J C 102, 24.4.1995.

— to promote international cooperation; and

— to emphasise that appropriate resources have to be made
available, with the highest priority accorded to prevention
policies.

The Communication also identifies a number of new chal-
lenges, e.g. the growing prevalence of synthetic drugs, the
relation between drugs and urban delinquency, and drug-
related problems in the areas of health, social policies and
criminal justice. The urgent need to develop the necessary
methodological tools to systematically evaluate actions to
combat drugs at the EU level is underlined.

1.3.
The fight against drugs remains near the top of the
political agenda for the European Union and the individual
Member States alike. Obtaining reliable data in this area — on
the prevalence of illicit drug use, on drug-related deaths,
accidents, disease/infection cases and crime, etc. — in order to
get a just picture of the state of the problem is notoriously
difficult. Notwithstanding these difficulties, the 1998 Annual
report of the European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug
Addiction (EMCDDA) clearly demonstrates that there is no
cause for complacency.

1.4.
The EU Member States and the European Community
have, since the mid-1980s, adopted common measures for
combating drug addiction and drug trafficking and for promot-
ing international cooperation. The scope for EU activities in
the fight against drugs, which basically falls within the
competence of each individual Member State, is to support
and coordinate certain efforts in areas where the Union can
bring added value. Demand reduction, supply reduction and
international cooperation constitute the foundations of the
current EU strategy against drugs.

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1.5.
For the European Union, the fight against drugs is an
inseparable objective of the aim of creating ‘an area of freedom,
security and justice’ which was introduced by the Treaty of
Amsterdam. Action to fight drugs is viewed as a public health
priority (Title XIII, Art. 152 of the EC Treaty), as a priority for
cooperation in the field of Justice and Home Affairs (Title VI,
TEU) and as a priority for international cooperation (Title V,
TEU).

1.6.
At the EU level, effective policies and strategies can
only be formulated on the basis of the above-mentioned and
sought after ‘objective, reliable and comparable data’ on the
drugs situation. Two bodies have been set up to provide such
information, the EMCDDA and the Europol Drugs Unit (EDU).
The EMCDDA compiles and disseminates non-confidential
data on drug abuse to support policy making. The EDU
exchanges and analyses data on organised drug trafficking and
related criminal activities to support police operations. The
Commission also emphasises the need for systematic evalu-
ation, assessment and follow up mechanisms. The work of
these bodies contributes to improved knowledge about the
extent and magnitude of the drugs problem in the Union.

1.7.
The international dimension of the fight against drugs
requires more intensive cooperation due to the seriousness of
the problem and the fact that it poses a common threat to
both the developed and the developing world.

1.8.
In view of enlargement it is also pertinent to examine
the situation in the accession countries. According to the
EMCDDA 1998 Annual Report ‘most of the central and east
European countries face increasing problems associated with
the traffic and transit of illicit drugs as well as a rise in local
drug consumption’ (1). Continued EU support, e.g. through the
multi-country Phare programme for the fight against drugs,
will be necessary in order to reverse this worrying trend.

2.2. While supportive of enforcement policies coordinating
the pursuit of those engaged in the production, trafficking and
supply of illicit drugs, the Committee considered that equal
emphasis should be given to the promotion of
‘demand
reduction’ policies. These should include:

— adequately resourced treatment, rehabilitation and edu-
cation programmes targeted towards those who might be
inclined to consume illicit drugs;

— education and preventive programmes towards those
groups who are vulnerable to the risk of illicit drug
consumption.

2.3. While the scale of the problem demands a European-
wide prevention policy, there was also a need to change
attitudes. No Member State should have to run the risk of
being considered as a drug haven because of innovative action.
No single region, city, local community or local school should
have to worry about its reputation because it wishes to
promote a pro-active drug abuse prevention policy. A coordi-
nated preventive approach would help bring the problem out
into the open, help citizens in each community to recognise
their individual and collective responsibilities.

The Committee considered that the European Union

2.4.
needed a much clearer and coordinated policy.

At local and regional levels, integrated networks needed

2.5.
to be established, based on coordination groups involving:

— local and municipal authorities;

— staff adequately trained in drug-abuse prevention;

— medical and paramedical staff;

— police officers;

— teachers and head teachers;

— employers, employment agencies;

2. The Committee’s 1995 Opinion on ‘Prevention of

Drug Abuse’ (2)

— parents;

In its earlier own-initiative opinion of 1995,

2.1.
the
Committee considered that, despite all the efforts of European
governments,
including policies to combat the illegal pro-
duction, sale and supply of all drugs, and the commitment of
massive resources, these policies had not had the desired effect.
It was now recognised that enforcement and supply-side
measures alone would not solve the problem of drug misuse.

(1) 1998 Annual report on the state of the drugs problem in the
European Union — European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and
Drug Addiction, p. 61.
(2) OJ C 102, 24.4.1995.

— family associations, community support groups and volun-

tary agencies;

— local press, television and radio networks;

— full-time professional coordinators;

— coordination of health services, local authorities, employ-

ment agencies and the social partners.

2.6.
At national level, the Committee urged the setting up
of coordination centres responsible for monitoring local
and regional coordination groups, providing specific support
where necessary and ensuring cross-referencing and a struc-
tured response to drug abuse.

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At European level, the Committee proposed that the

2.7.
following actions could be envisaged:

Actions (1995-1999)

Outcomes 1999(1)

— national drug coordinators group to be supplemented by a multi-disciplinary team representing all ‘three pillars’ of

Partial

the European Union;

— the setting-up of an EU Standing Committee on Drug-Abuse Prevention;

— the active implementation of Article 129 encouraging ‘cooperation’ and ‘coordination’ between the Member States
on public health matters ‘including drug dependence’ and supporting the Commission’s right of initiative in this
area;

Yes

Yes

— support for efforts by the Commission to take a more pro-active role to promote, publish and circulate best practice;

EMCDDA

— the organisation of more Drug-Prevention Weeks;

— EC-sponsored training and education initiatives in drug-abuse prevention;

— the rapid implementation of the specific Commission Action Plan proposals for the training and exchanges of

professionals;

— EU awareness campaigns and networking;

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

— EC-funded transnational pilot projects in target areas, helping to establish a pan-European coordination network.

Partial

(1) At the study group meeting on 9 September 1999 the European Commission was invited to outline broadly the outcomes of the 1995-1999 Action Plan.

The Committee notes with satisfaction that action has been
taken which to a great extent corresponds to the suggestions
made in the 1995 opinion.

3.3.
The Committee agrees that in the context of the
campaign to reduce demand the highest priority is given to
health, education and training activities, and to instruments to
combat social exclusion, in order to achieve the following two
main objectives:

3. General Comments

3.1.
The Economic and Social Committee warmly wel-
comes the Commission proposal for a new Action Plan to
combat drugs (2000–2004), and would particularly highlight
the specific targets of the Action Plan in the five domains of
action;

— to reduce significantly over five years the prevalence of
illicit drug use among young people under 18 years of
age;

— to reduce substantially over five years the number of drug

related deaths.

1)

Information

2) Action on demand reduction

3) Consolidation of the acquis communautaire

4) Action at international level

5) Coordination, integration and simplification

These objectives are usually achieved through programmes
targeted at the whole population through mainstream activities
focused on the day-to-day needs of the population. Health care
can be delivered through an assessment of the needs of
particular communities; education can be delivered through
the school curriculum, detached youth work and community
networks; research should be part of wider population based
investigations, and training can be provided as part of the
wider preparation of the workforce.

In line with the Political Declaration by the 1998
3.2.
United Nations General Assembly Special Session on Drugs
(Ungass), the Committee endorses the basic principles of
shared responsibility;
into main-
stream development; a balanced approach between demand
and supply reduction; respect for human rights and support
for multilateral approaches.

integrating drugs control

3.3.1.
The Committee agrees with the Commission that,
inter alia, the appropriate application of new media such
as the Internet for implementing and assessing education
programmes aimed at drug prevention can be useful in the
field of education and awareness raising.

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3.4.
The Commission places considerable emphasis on the
state and semi-state sector. However, the ESC notes from
experience the importance of including the broader social
partnership models, which exist in many Member States. The
proposal stresses use of both the public health and education
systems, primarily provided by local and regional authorities,
but only refers to the importance of peer education, non-
governmental organisations and wider society. There is little
mention of already existing partnerships, e.g. on crime and
disorder, economic regeneration, health improvement, and
cooperation business/local government.

The principle of shared responsibility requires an
3.5.
integrated and balanced approach. In order to achieve this, it
is essential that we make use of the resources available within
the social partnership. The Committee would highlight the
need to build partnerships through a memorandum of under-
standing, with examples ranging from prevention in the
workplace, and initiating cooperation between e.g. hauliers
and customs authorities.

3.6. With regard to the experiences of the 1996-2000
Drugs Prevention Programme, it is imperative that the results
are fed into the proposed Action Plan when it is implemented.
The outcomes should be shared, developed and mainstreamed
where appropriate. The successes are often highlighted, but it
is crucially important to assess the failures as well. In the
establishment of new actions we need to learn from our
experiences. This emphasises the need for multidisciplinary
and multidimensional responses at local, national and global
level.

Generally,

the first experimental drug use occurs
3.7.
because someone you know offers you drugs. Therefore
prevention needs to be reinforced in the shape of peer groups,
which has been widely recognized. It is necessary to involve
young people themselves from the beginning, in the setting up
prevention programmes.

3.8.
The connections between drugs, alcohol and tobacco
are complex. In some contexts it is clear that the use of one of
these substances leads to use of another. In other situations
this is not so obvious. The difference in legal status creates a
further dilemma. Preventive strategies for tobacco and alcohol
could also have an impact on preventing initial use of illicit
drugs. Highlighting the dangers of combining substances, e.g.
drugs and alcohol, is also absolutely necessary. This strategy,
however, should recognise that
the link is between the
individuals via peer groups and not between the substances as

such. The use of substances is often primarily based on
availability. The Committee notes that health risks are not
limited to prohibited drugs and that many of the new synthetic
drugs are not yet controlled in the Member States.

3.9.
In order to ensure an effective strategy towards supply
reduction, the implementation as agreed by the EU of the
Action Plans of Ungass is essential. This adds to the importance
of the integration of EU international co-operation in the fight
against drugs into the broader objectives of EU external
relations. The Committee would draw attention to the scope
offered by the Treaty, for stronger, overall external action
against drugs, through the common foreign and security policy
(CFSP).

3.10.
There is now general recognition that the problem of
illicit drug abuse and dependency is common to all Member
States. Whilst sustaining enforcement alongside a harmonis-
ation of penalties a dynamic European prevention policy
framework is required, backed up by the concrete measures
envisaged by the European Council. The new Treaty provisions
permit a coordinated and comprehensive policy approach,
necessary to reduce both supply and demand. Given that 8 %
of world trade, according to United Nations figures is drug
trafficking, the Committee stresses the need of a consistent
European Union policy to combat drug production and
trafficking. A broader coordination in the fields of justice and
home affairs and of external policy is required. The importance
of European and national policy is that when challenged, the
local community will have channels that can be activated to
ensure a long-term solution. Without a national policy, local
communities can often respond emotionally and subjectively.

3.11.
The Committee welcomes the Community action on
synthetic drugs. The Joint Action (1) aims at the creation of a
mechanism for rapid exchange of information on new syn-
thetic drugs and the assessment of their risks in order to permit
the application of measures of control on psychotropic
substances, applicable in Member States, equally to new
synthetic drugs.

(1) Joint Action of 16 June 1997 adopted by the Council on the basis
of Article K.3 of the Treaty on European Union, concerning the
information exchange, risk assessment and the control of new
synthetic drugs, 97/396/JHA, OJ L 167, 25.6.1997.

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3.12.
The Committee considers that the European Union
needs a much clearer and co-ordinated policy on the conditions
of entry of candidate countries to the Union. The Committee
believes that protocols should be entered into with these
countries setting out their obligations to reduce the supply of
drugs through their territory, establish programmes that will
reduce the demand for illicit drugs and ensure participation in
international activities. Agreements on controlling so called
drug precursors (which play an important role in the manufac-
ture of amphetamines, for example) must be included here.
The Committee advises that high priority be given to the acquis
in the area on freedom, security and justice, inter alia to the
acquis on combating drugs.

3.12.1.
At the same time the candidate countries should be
encouraged to make use of the possibility of being involved in
pilot projects in particular under the OISIN and Falcone
programmes.

3.13.
The issue of doping in sport has continued to rise
over the recent years. Doping in sport often does not mean
taking illegal drugs but misusing legal drugs. A clear and
precise legal framework and closer international cooperation
are urgently needed. The Committee therefore welcomes the
decision of the European Commission to open discussions
with the International Olympic Committee (IOC) on its
invitation to participate in the creation and operation of a
World AntiDoping Agency. The need to rebuild trust both
within the sporting sector and public domain ever increases.

3.14.
The Commission draws our attention to the EU
employment initiatives and the educational and vocational
training programmes. It should be noted that whilst these
programmes were not initially designed to tackle the issue of
drugs, a number of excellent projects have emerged. Therefore,
guidelines and policies need to be developed and built into the
programmes as a resource, to support any aspects that may
deal with drugs and related issues. The Committee believes
increased resources are needed to facilitate the coordination
required to achieve a decrease in the demand for drugs.

3.15.
Considerable efforts have been made throughout
Europe to combat drugs. It is apparent, however, that many
of
these efforts are being made in isolation, without a
comprehensive and systematic policy strategy, and often on a
piecemeal and spontaneous basis. The Committee regrets the
shortage of dedicated youth workers, especially at street level.
European coordination should strengthen youth work.

3.16.
To map the drugs problem more exactly is an
important objective. The Commission paper gives little infor-

mation about the size and shape of the problem. A major
weakness of the Commission document is the almost complete
focus on drugs as an urban phenomenon. Evidence suggests
that this problem is as serious in rural communities, who do
not have the infrastructure to respond effectively.

4. Conclusions/Recommendations

The Communication from the Commission on a
4.1.
European Union Action Plan to Combat Drugs (2000-2004)
is an important step in the development of a comprehensive
approach. However, it is with great concern that the Com-
mittee notes that the funds for putting this action plan into
force have not been identified. In order to achieve successful
implementation of the plan it is imperative that adequate
financial means are allocated. In the implementation of its
action plan the Commission needs to take into account the
resources available, thereby ensuring a balanced approach
between reducing demand and reducing supply, with due
regard to Member States’ own responsibilities.

4.2.
The Committee stresses the need to fully implement
Title VI of the Amsterdam Treaty. Concretely, it mentions that
drugs constitute a threat to collective and individual security
in numerous ways, often but not always linked to organised
crime. It is based on shared responsibility between consumer,
transit and producer countries. Within that comprehensive
framework, it is clear that a major component will be the
mobilisation of all available judicial and law enforcement
resources against the traffickers and criminal organisations. It
is essential that intervention be stepped up. It is not acceptable
to leave certain neighbourhoods of European cities in the
hands of drug traffickers, who openly peddle drugs to addicts,
without the police intervening to stop them. The need to
establish minimum rules relating to the constituent elements
of criminal acts and penalties will require increased coordi-
nation, and particular attention must be paid to the harmonis-
ation of laws and judicial, customs and police cooperation.
The need for concerted preventive action by police, education
and rehabilitation services is emphasised.

4.3.
The Committee notes the conclusions of the European
Council in Tampere, in particular the recommendations about
an Area of freedom, security and justice. Also noted are the
amendments to the Council Directive 91/308/EEC of 10 June
1991 on prevention of the use of the financial system for the
purpose of money laundering, on which the Committee is
currently drawing up an Opinion. In composing this Opinion
on the Action Plan to Combat Drugs it is understood that the
issues raised by the Tampere summit will be addressed in
subsequent ESC Opinions.

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4.4.
The Committee calls on the Commission to provide
greater analysis of the situation. Substantial data and research
is available on the use of drugs in Member States, but it is
necessary also to analyse and map the impact of drugs.
Evaluation is often carried out purely on an analytical basis.
The Committee requests that a study that examines the
socio-economic factors which influences the development of
drug use is conducted. Frequently, what is actually happening
on the ground is not demonstrated. Improved analysis, coupled
with an assessment of good and bad practice, will aid the
European Union and its Member States to put in place an
effective strategy.

4.5.
The Committee notes the increased use of the Internet
both from the supply and demand perspective of the drugs
phenomena. Therefore the Committee calls on the Com-
mission to implement the action plan on promoting safe use
of the Internet (1), on which the ESC adopted an Opinion in
April 1998 (2).

(1) Decision 276/1999/EC; OJ 33, 6.2.1999.
(2) OJ C 214, 10.7.1998.

Brussels, 8 December 1999.

4.6.
The Commission refers to the positive impact that
sections of the youth framework programmes and the employ-
ment initiatives have had in combating drugs. The Committee
is concerned that these programmes will be seen as the
non-formal and training arm of the Commission’s Action Plan.
While these, amongst many EU programmes, deal with young
people, they will not necessarily reach the appropriate target
group for this Action Plan. The Committee calls on the
Commission to increase the resources available for prevention
and demand reduction.

4.7. With the focus on the problem of drugs, often the
greater issues of exclusion and isolation are neglected. In this
action plan the need to reach out and understand these phenom-
ena is greater than ever. Many young people feel excluded and
isolated; use of drugs is often a symptom of this exclusion.
The Committee believes that the Commission needs to identify
suitable mechanisms to reach out to and link with these young
people. For example a young person may not come into contact
with the public health system until a critical stage is reached.
They may, however, come into contact with the local employ-
ment scheme or local groups. Better cooperation between the
various services dealing with children and young people at every
level including European is clearly needed.

The President

of the Economic and Social Committee

Beatrice RANGONI MACHIAVELLI