Council conclusions on networking information on emerging trends and patterns in drug abuse and poly-drug use and the associated risks
Date: 2001-01-19
Institutions: Council of the European Union
Subjects: European Medicines Agency, Europol, drug addiction, exchange of information, information network, information system

C 17/2

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

19.1.2001

Council conclusions on networking information on emerging trends and patterns in drug abuse
and poly-drug use and the associated risks

(2001/C 17/02)

the European Union adopts the following
The Council of
guidelines on the networking of
information on emerging
trends and patterns in drug abuse and poly-drug use and the
associated risks:

(1) Under the European Union Drugs Strategy 2000-2004 and
the action plan adopted for
is
desirable to organise a system that will alert more
quickly to emerging trends and patterns in drug abuse
and poly-drug use and the associated risks.

its implementation,

it

(2) Accordingly, in view of the existing information systems in
each Member State and at European level,
is not
necessary nor desirable to create new structures, new
networks or new financial obligations for the Member
States.

it

(3) As far as possible, use should be made of

the Reitox
network set up by Council Regulation (EEC) No 302/93
of 8 February 1993 on the establishment of a European
Monitoring Centre
and Drug Addiction
(EMCDDA).

for Drugs

(4) The activities of the Reitox network could be developed in

two directions:

(cid:151) observation of emerging trends and patterns in drug
abuse and poly-drug use and the associated risks,

(cid:151) rapid release of this information to public authorities,
professionals and prevention associations so that they
can implement suitable prevention measures as swiftly
as possible.

(5) This guideline would require the national focal points of
the Reitox network to be able to use the data produced by
the other bodies or networks concerned (national agency
responsible for the evaluation of medicinal products, public
health institutes and networks of health professionals,
prevention associations, hospital
laboratories or forensic
science institutes, etc.).

for

(6) Under their respective mandates, the EMCDDA and the
Evaluation of Medicinal
the
European Agency
(EMEA) are encouraged to jointly define a
Products
framework of ongoing cooperation,
in compliance with
their powers, to exchange useful information at European
level on the potential of abuse and risks associated with the
use and/or polyuse of psychoactive drugs. In compliance
with its terms of reference, Europol should be involved in
providing information on emerging trends in drug-traf-
ficking.

(7) Interested Member States

and relevant national

and
European agencies (EMCDDA, EMEA, etc.) are encouraged
to participate in a pilot project financed by the Community
budget aiming at the exchange of information on emerging
trends and new patterns of drug abuse and poly-drug use.
Over a period of 18 months this pilot project should also
define the conditions, financial as well as relating to the
scope of the substances to be covered, necessary for the
exchange of such information among a larger number of
countries.

(8) The Commission and the Member States are asked to look

into ways and means of achieving these aims.