Opinion of the European Economic and Social Committee on the ‘Proposal for a Council Regulation on the European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction’(COM(2003) 808 final – 2003/0311 (CNS))
Date: 2004-10-27
Institutions: European Economic and Social Committee
Subjects: ESC opinion, EU Member State, European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction, cooperation policy, exchange of information

C 120/78

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

20.5.2005

Opinion of the European Economic and Social Committee on the ‘Proposal for a Council Regu-
lation on the European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction’

(COM(2003) 808 final – 2003/0311 (CNS))

(2005/C 120/15)

On 23 September 2004 the Council decided to consult the European Economic and Social Committee,
under Article 152 of the Treaty establishing the European Community, on the abovementioned proposal.

The Committee decided to appoint Jan Olsson as rapporteur-general.

At its 412th plenary session of 27-28 October 2004 (meeting of 27 October), the European Economic and
Social Committee adopted the following opinion with 159 votes in favour and one abstention:

1. Gist of the Commission proposal

The Commission is proposing a recast of Council Regu-
1.1
lation (EEC) No 302/93 of 8 February 1993 on the establish-
ment of a European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug
Addiction (EMCDDA).

1.2

The proposed amendments include the following:

2.2
The European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug
Addiction (EMCDDA) is intended to provide the Community
and its Member States with objective, reliable information that
is comparable at European level on drugs and drug addiction
and the consequences thereof.

2.3
The Committee therefore welcomes the proposed Regu-
lation, which aims to extend the role of the Centre, to adapt
the operation of its constituent bodies and to remove a number
of uncertainties arising from the implementation of the initial
Regulation. This reflects the thinking already expressed in
previous EESC opinions on the prevention and reduction of the
risks associated with drug addiction (1).

— those designed to boost the Centre's role, in particular to
take account of new drug use patterns, especially among
young people, who increasingly tend to combine unlawful
substances with lawful substances such as alcohol, and to
enable the Centre to devise indicators for evaluating drugs
policies and strategies implemented in the European Union;

3. Specific comments

— those designed to take account of enlargement. The Regu-
lation sets up a Steering Committee to assist the EMCDDA
Management Board. A review of the composition of the
Centre's Scientific Committee is also proposed;

— those designed to remove a number of uncertainties which
emerged when the initial Regulation was applied. In par-
ticular, this concerns the reference to the REITOX focal
points, instead of the specialised centres.

3.1
The EESC insists that stakeholder civil society organisa-
tions be involved in the work of the EMCDDA. To this end, the
Committee fully endorses the proposal in Article 5(5) of the
draft Regulation, which states that the Centre ‘… may have
recourse to additional expertise and sources of information, especially
transnational networks working in the field of drugs and drug addic-
tion.’

3.2
The EESC proposes that the Centre be provided with a
Liaison Committee comprising representatives of the European
networks that are active in this field and able to provide infor-
focal
mation in addition to that supplied by the national
points (2).

2. General comments

(1) — Opinion on the Communication from the Commission to the
Council,
the Economic and Social
Committee and the Committee of the Regions an a European
Action Plan to Combat Drugs
rapporteur:
Ms Hassett-van Turnhout. OJ C 51 of 23.2.2000.

the European Parliament,

(2000-2004),

The European Economic and Social Committee regrets
2.1
the very short deadline the Council has set for the Committee
to deliver its opinion on a proposal for a Regulation that the
Commission had already submitted in December 2003.

— Opinion on the Proposal for a Council Recommendation on the
prevention and reduction of risks associated with drug depen-
dence,
rapporteur: Ms Le Nouail-Marlière. OJ C 61 of
14.3.2003.

(2) The national focal points are part of the European Monitoring
Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction (REITOX), which is at the
Centre's disposal.

20.5.2005

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 120/79

In view of the Community's financial contribution to the

3.3
national focal points, the Committee calls for:

— the national civil society networks active in the sector to be
closely involved in the work of the national focal points.

— closer Member State harmonisation when collating statis-
tical data, so that the information will be more reliable and
comparable, as is the case with Eurostat. Article 5(2) of the
draft Regulation must
therefore be strengthened in this
direction;

Brussels, 27 October 2004.

3.4
The Committee will examine closely the new European
Union action plan to combat drugs, which is expected to be
published in early 2005.

The President

of the European Economic and Social Committee

Anne-Marie SIGMUND

Opinion of the European Economic and Social Committee on ‘Improving the implementation of
the Lisbon Strategy’

(2005/C 120/16)

On 25/26 March 2004,
invited the European
Economic and Social Committee, under Article 262 of the Treaty establishing the European Community,
to examine ways and means for ‘Improving the implementation of the Lisbon Strategy’.

in its (Presidency) conclusions, the European Council

The Section for Economic and Monetary Union, Economic and Social Cohesion, on the basis of the work
carried out by a Lisbon Strategy Steering Group, adopted its opinion on 7 October 2004. The rapporteur
was Mr Vever; the co-rapporteurs were Mr Ehnmark and Mr Simpson.

At its 412th plenary session on 27 and 28 October 2004 (meeting of 27 October), the European Economic
and Social Committee adopted the following opinion by 169 votes for, 4 against and 8 abstentions.

1. Preface

— aimed at a balanced development of its three strands, i.e.
economic growth,
social cohesion and environmental
sustainability, by stimulating European competitiveness and
job creation whilst at the same time building on appro-
priate environmental policies.

The

European

Economic

1.1
Social Committee
welcomes the fact that the European Council of 25 and 26
March 2004 invited it to examine ways and means for more
effective implementation of the Lisbon Strategy, which is now
at the halfway point.

and

The Committee recalls that from the outset, the Lisbon

1.2
mandate of 24 March 2000:

— emphasised the need to actively involve the social partners
and civil society with the strategy, using variable forms of
partnership;

Throughout

1.3
its debates, hearings and opinions over
recent years, the Committee has consistently underlined the
importance of the Lisbon Strategy for the economic and social
future of the Union, and called upon all the socio-occupational
players to play an active part in it. In particular, the Committee
has recently adopted opinions on European business competi-
strategy (1), better
tiveness,
economic governance and employment support measures (2).
The Committee has continuously underlined that the Lisbon
Strategy objectives will not be achieved without the full invol-
vement of civil society.

sustainable development

the

— specified that

its success depends primarily on private

sector and public-private partnerships;

(1) OJ 117 of 30.4.2004.
(2) OJ 110 of 3.4.2004.