Strategy and work program 2016-18 : annual work programme 2016.
Date: 2016-01-26
Institutions: European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction
Subjects: European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction, European social policy, action programme, activity report, drug addiction, public health, social impact, social work

PROGRAMMING DOCUMENT

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Strategy and work 
programme 2016–18

Annual work 
programme 2016

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2016–18 STRATEGY AND WORK PROGRAMME AND 2016 ANNUAL WORK PROGRAMME

  Contents

3 

Foreword by the EMCDDA Director

4  Mission statement

5  General context: setting the scene

10  CHAPTER 1

10 

2016–18 strategy and work programme

10 

12 

16 

19 

Introduction: the EMCDDA’s value chain ― transforming information into state-of-the-art analysis for decision-making

Key strategic action area 1: communicating evidence and knowledge exchange

Key strategic action area 2: early warning and threat assessment

Key strategic action area 3: situation, responses and trend analysis

22  Cross-cutting strategic action area A: information collection and management

24  Cross-cutting strategic action area B: quality assurance

26  Cross-cutting strategic action area C: cooperation with partners

28  Corporate action area: governance

30  Corporate action area: administration and ICT

32  CHAPTER 2

32 

2016 annual work programme

32 

33 

36 

39 

Executive summary

Key strategic action area 1: communicating evidence and knowledge exchange

Key strategic action area 2: early warning and threat assessment

Key strategic action area 3: situation, responses and trend analysis

41  Cross-cutting strategic action area A: information collection and management

42  Cross-cutting strategic action area B: quality assurance

43  Cross-cutting strategic action area C: cooperation with partners

44  Corporate action area: governance

45  Corporate action area: administration and ICT

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ANNEXES

Annex I. Estimated budget allocation for the implementation of the EMCDDA 2016 work programme

Annex II. Monitoring and evaluation

Annex III. Potential risk factors

Annex IV. List of procurements for the year 2016

Annex V. List of the beneficiaries of Reitox grants (national focal points)

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Annex VI. Template of the 2016 Reitox grant agreement 
  www.emcdda.europa.eu/about/partners/reitox-network

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Annex VII. Technical assistance projects — 2016 implementation plan

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Annex VIII. List of acronyms and abbreviations

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I  Foreword by the EMCDDA Director

This is the fourth strategy and work programme since the EMCDDA’s recast regulation in 2006. 
I am proud that we can launch a programme that remains forward-looking and that I believe will 
make an important contribution to more effective drug policies and practice.

I can make this commitment because this strategy is built on sound foundations. Over the last 
three years, the agency has improved the timeliness, quality and relevance of its work. This is 
evident in the increased interest and engagement we now see from our stakeholders and 
convinces me of the value of our work in contributing to a more secure and healthier Europe.

The expectations on our agency are therefore growing and this is what this new strategy and 
work programme addresses. There are three main challenges for our work over the coming 
period. We need to understand better the global dimension of the drug problem we face in 
Europe, we need to respond faster to emerging threats and challenges and we need to become 
more solution-oriented in our reporting. You will find all these elements are given increased 
emphasis in our new three-year programme.

To achieve this we recognise that a commitment to partnership and effective joint working will 
be essential and will remain a defining element of the EMCDDA approach. The work of the 
agency will therefore continue to be dependent on partnership with experts working across 
Europe, and in particular with the Reitox network of national focal points. Furthermore, our work 
benefits from active and ongoing cooperation with the European Commission, from a close 
working relationship with our sister European Union agencies and the partnerships existing with 
international organisations working in our area.

The success of this work programme is also ensured by a committed and highly competent staff 
team in Lisbon, an active and informed Management Board and a Scientific Committee 
comprising some of Europe’s leading scientists working in the drugs area.

On a personal note, I am proud of the achievements that make this work programme possible. 
I feel great satisfaction that as I complete my mandate as Director of the EMCDDA the agency 
can look forward to a new work programme that continues to increase the scope and value of its 
activities.

Wolfgang Götz
Director, EMCDDA

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2016–18 STRATEGY AND WORK PROGRAMME AND 2016 ANNUAL WORK PROGRAMME

I  Mission statement

Independent, science-based information is a vital resource to help Europe understand the 
nature of its drug problems and better respond to them. It was upon this premise, and in the 
face of an escalating drug phenomenon, that the EMCDDA was established in 1993. 
Inaugurated in Lisbon in 1995, it is one of the European Union (EU)’s decentralised agencies.

The agency’s founding regulation was recast in 2006 and it defined the role of the EMCDDA as 
being to provide the EU and its Member States with a factual overview of European drug 
problems and with a solid evidence base to support the drugs debate. The agency offers 
policymakers the data and analysis they need to draw up informed drug laws and strategies, and 
it helps professionals and practitioners working in the field to pinpoint best practice and new 
areas of research.

The priorities in the recast regulation, which form the bedrock of this new strategy and work 
programme, are: a) monitoring the state of the drug problem, in particular using epidemiological 
indicators, and monitoring emerging trends; b) monitoring the solutions applied to drug-related 
problems; providing information on best practices in the Member States and facilitating 
information exchange among them; c) assessing the risks of new psychoactive substances and 
maintaining a rapid information system; d) developing tools and instruments to help Member 
States to monitor and evaluate their national policies, and the European Commission (EC) to 
monitor and evaluate EU policies.

In fulfilling its tasks, the EMCDDA relies on a large number of partners and, in particular, the 
European information network on drugs and drug addiction — the Reitox network of national 
focal points (NFP). The NFPs exercise the critical role of providing national data from the 30 
countries that report to the EMCDDA, namely the 28 EU Member States, Norway and Turkey. 
Together with the information collected from other networks of experts and partners, these data 
feed the European and global analyses performed by the EMCDDA, thereby forming the basis of 
its world-renowned knowledge and its reputation as a centre of excellence on drugs in Europe.

The EMCDDA approaches the drug problem from a range of different disciplines and 
perspectives. This is necessary because the drug issue has an impact on society, public health, 
security and crime. This multidisciplinary and holistic approach is one of the core strengths of 
the agency’s work. It also underpins the EMCDDA’s vision for 2016–18, which is to contribute to 
a more secure and a healthier Europe. The agency’s mandate, and the knowledge, expertise and 
strategic partnerships it has developed over the 20 years of its existence, place it in a privileged 
position to achieve this.

As an organisation, the agency is guided by a core set of values to ensure that its work is of the 
highest standard. These values are:
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 scientific rigour;
 neutrality and independence; and,
 service orientation.

The specific business principles that sustain these values include:
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 maintaining the relevance and timeliness of the reporting system in order to allow a 
responsive analysis of the drug situation;
 capitalising on established partnerships and building new ones, with a view to further 
developing synergies;
 maximising the impact of communication activities: getting the right information to the right 
people at the right time using the right medium;
 implementing a state-of-the-art performance measurement system, to ensure that work is on 
track and that it delivers its intended outcome and meets the expectations of the agency’s 
stakeholders.

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2016–18 STRATEGY AND WORK PROGRAMME AND 2016 ANNUAL WORK PROGRAMME

I  General context: setting the scene

I  Continuity and change: building on past successes, looking towards new challenges

This is the fourth strategy and work programme since the EMCDDA’s recast regulation in 2006. 
It capitalises on the core principles of the 2013–15 strategy and work programme and the 
successes achieved in implementing these core principles, which allow the EMCDDA to build 
further blocks towards accomplishing its ambitious vision to contribute to a more secure and a 
healthier Europe.

A necessary first step in conceptualising this strategy and work plan was therefore to take stock 
of the progress made to date and to scope out the medium- and long-term challenges we face.

In 2013–15, the agency increased the relevance and timeliness of its reporting system. In a joint 
effort with the Reitox network of NFPs the EMCDDA undertook a complex revision of the 
reporting tools and processes, which was successfully completed in 2014 and implementation 
began in 2015. The new national reporting system better addresses the information needs of 
European and national stakeholders while ensuring efficiency and reducing the reporting 
burden. This has enhanced the capacity of the EMCDDA and its partners to meet the 
information needs that the dynamic evolution of the drug phenomenon is likely to bring in 
2016–18.

The EMCDDA has significantly improved its working practices. Quality assurance measures 
were strengthened across the entire core-business work, from data collection to scientific 
processes and production of outputs, and from there to dissemination of products and delivery 
of services. This assures the scientific rigour of the agency’s work, which is a core element of its 
added value. Taken together, these successful endeavours ensure that the foundation of the 
EMCDDA is now stronger than ever and that the agency is prepared to reach out to its next 
challenges.

As an information agency, communication is at the heart of the EMCDDA’s work. Quality data 
and efficient scientific processes bring value only when they are driven by focused and timely 
communication, which takes stock of the needs of the EMCDDA’s audiences and works to fulfil 
them in the most effective manner. In 2013–15 the agency achieved further progress in 
streamlining the products range and tailoring its outputs to the changing needs of audiences, 
while rationalising production costs. The important investment that has been made in the 
EMCDDA’s online communication channels ― including the introduction of an increased 
number of interactive and user-friendly tools and products and a new website launched in 2015 
― stands the agency in good stead for prompt, efficient and targeted communication activities 
in 2016–18.

I  Meeting the growing needs and expectations of key stakeholders and partners

The EMCDDA has always been in close contact with its key stakeholders and partners, 
especially with the EU institutions, Member States, other EU agencies, international 
organisations active in the field of drugs and relevant third countries. This has allowed the 
agency to create and maximise synergies, to drive the exchange of knowledge on the drug 
situation in Europe and to contribute to global developments.

Another benefit of pursuing a close collaborative approach is to be able to better understand the 
needs and expectations of our key stakeholders and partners. With this in mind, in order to 
shape its priorities for 2016–18, the EMCDDA launched a consultation exercise to which the 
Member States, the agency’s Scientific Committee, EU bodies, international organisations and 

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third countries, together with the general public, were invited to provide their thoughts and ideas 
for what the focus of the agency’s work should be during the forthcoming strategic programming 
period.

The outcome of the exercise was presented to the EMCDDA’s Management Board in December 
2014. Among the key findings were:

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 the importance of further analysing the effectiveness of responses to drug use, including 
identifying and disseminating best practice;
 the need for the agency to allocate sufficient resources to the area of new drugs, which 
should be further expanded in order to allow a better understanding of the epidemiological 
aspects of consumption and the effectiveness of responses;
 the relevance for the Member States of appropriate tools for policy evaluation;
 the need to further develop the monitoring of polydrug use, including a framework for 
monitoring the misuse of medicines; and
 the provision of a review of the recent developments around cannabis legislation.

All of these valuable contributions have been taken on board and are reflected in this document. 
The intensity with which they will be implemented during this three-year work programme will 
depend on the available resources and on the annual implementation conditions and priorities.

I  Responding to EU needs in 2016–18

For the last 20 years, the EMCDDA has demonstrated its ability to act as a catalyst for data 
collection and strategic analysis in a complex policy area that cuts across crime, health and 
security issues ― both within European countries and in the international context. The agency is 
seen as a credible partner by the European institutions, national policymakers and experts 
working in its technical areas ― and it is an internationally recognised centre of excellence.

Building on this capacity, it has considerable potential to provide additional value to the future 
work of the European Commission, especially to the Directorate-General Migration and Home 
Affairs (DG HOME), the partner DG of the EMCDDA, and to the Directorate-General for Health 
and Food Safety (DG SANTÉ). Furthermore, by scaling up partnerships with other agencies and 
institutions, the EMCDDA’s proven technical and analytical capacity can deliver new 
opportunities for European policy and interventions.

As highlighted in its mission statement, and making full use of the advantage brought by its 
multidisciplinary approach, in 2016–18 the EMCDDA will enhance its commitment to being a 
key contributor to a more secure and a healthier Europe. It will do this by being more proactive 
and giving greater emphasis to knowledge transfer, strategic analysis and threat assessment.

In terms of security, working closely with Europol, and where appropriate Eurojust and other 
Justice and Home Affairs (JHA) agencies, the EMCDDA will strive to strengthen and enhance its 
capacity for strategic analysis. The most representative example is the joint EMCDDA–Europol 
EU Drug Markets Report, which will offer a state-of-the-art strategic analysis of the illicit drug 
markets in the European Union. The second edition of this key report will be published in 2016 
and the third edition will be prepared in 2018, for publication in 2019. In order to better 
understand the importance of this strategic output, it is worth mentioning that its first edition, 
published in 2013, has become a key reference document for policymakers in the EU. For 
example, it supported the Council Conclusions on improving the monitoring of the drug supply 
in the EU, adopted at the Economic and Financial Affairs Council meeting in November 2013 and 
it has been factored into the policy cycle priorities of the Council’s Standing Committee on 
Operational Cooperation on Internal Security (COSI) and the corresponding Operational Action 
Plans (OAPs) 2014 and 2015 of the cocaine/heroin and synthetic drugs — and beyond (the 

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report was considered one of the most ‘notable government documents of 2012’ by the 
American Library Association).

Furthermore, as emerging threats are identified, rapid joint analyses with Europol will be 
conducted in order to enhance responses. Such threat assessments will be done both in the 
context of EMCDDA–Europol cooperation and through the Operational Action Plans of the 
Policy Cycle on Organised Crime of the COSI.

To this end, 2016–18 will be a key period in improving the monitoring of drug supply in the 
European Union in line with the EU drug strategy 2013–20, which sets a priority for the EU to 
‘work towards more effective policy in the field of drug supply reduction by reinforcing policy 
evaluation and analysis to improve the understanding of drug markets, drug-related crimes and 
effectiveness of drug-related law-enforcement responses’. EMCDDA expertise and analytical 
capacity can play a key role in meeting this challenge and our integrated information model can 
provide critical situation analysis and timely threat assessments informed by both supply- and 
demand-side data.

There is a need for a holistic approach as drug markets can only be properly understood if we 
look at drug-related crime in addition to drug use and drug-related harms. Through a 
combination of structured monitoring and analysis, the EMCDDA will provide a better 
understanding of the nature and scale of the online market and of new developments, both at 
consumer and at supply level, and will also provide early identification of new trends and threats.

As far as the security of the EU is concerned, there is an obvious link to the area of international 
cooperation. Here the EMCDDA has a long tradition in supporting the EC in implementing its 
technical assistance projects in priority third countries — especially candidate countries (CC), 
potential candidate countries (PCC) and countries of the European Neighbourhood Policy (ENP) 
area. In 2016, the agency will continue the implementation of two projects, namely the fifth 
Instrument for Pre-Accession Assistance (IPA) project with seven CC and PCC beneficiary 
countries, and the ENP project with another seven beneficiary countries. The agency brings to 
these countries the EU balanced approach and its knowledge about drug monitoring, which 
supports the improvement of national data, in line with our EU standards, and later integration of 
these data into EMCDDA analyses.

These activities, together with data collected from other international partners, help to improve 
our global understanding of the drug phenomenon, which translates into a more complete 
perspective for our EU stakeholders, providing them with a better capacity to react to — and 
even anticipate — external threats.

So the EMCDDA, with the help of its partners, will make a significant contribution to the security 
of EU citizens over the next few years. However, fulfilling the agency’s vision for 2016–18 also 
means contributing to their health.

To this end, the agency will continue the successful collaboration with its partners in the 
prevention of infectious diseases amongst people who inject drugs, with a main focus on human 
immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and hepatitis C virus (HCV), which remain important public health 
concerns with a significant burden on the life of individuals and society overall. In 2013–15, the 
EMCDDA has strengthened its capacity in the harm reduction area, especially with regard to 
reacting promptly to emerging threats and providing its expert advice. The assessment missions 
carried out jointly with the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) to 
support Member States are probably the best example in this area. These activities will continue 
in 2016–18 as part of the overall EMCDDA strategy to scale up the early warning and threat 
assessment component of its work (see Key area 2). Collaboration with other partners will also 
be pursued with a view to enhancing the measurement, understanding and responses to 
drug-related deaths, which claim the lives of thousands of people every year.

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Activity in the prevention area will be stepped up in 2016–18. This is an important task for the 
agency as it allows the identification and promotion of factors that can potentially reduce drug 
uptake at an early stage, or at least reduce its intensification or prevent escalation into high-risk 
drug use. In addition to helping diminish other societal costs, there is an obvious link between 
drug prevention and crime prevention. With this in mind, a training programme for professionals 
will be developed and new evidence on effective prevention practice will be collected and 
disseminated through the EMCDDA’s Best practice portal. Further analysis on contextual, 
cultural and systemic determinants of implementing drug prevention will also be produced.

Furthermore, the agency will launch a new strategic analysis, the European Drug Responses 
Report. This report, the first edition of which will be published in 2017, aims at providing a 
state-of-the-art overview of the responses to drug use across the EU and their effectiveness, 
together with recommendations for action. It will serve as the ‘health companion’ to the EU Drug 
Markets Report. Together with the annual European Drug Report, these reports will provide the 
complete picture of the drug phenomenon and comprise the essential information and analysis 
package for policymakers from the EU and beyond (see Key area 1).

One of the most rapidly growing threats for the health of EU citizens is posed by new 
psychoactive substances (NPS) (see Key area 2). Since 1997, the EMCDDA has played a 
central role in Europe’s response to NPS. Its main responsibilities in this field are to operate the 
EU Early Warning System (EWS), with its partner Europol, and to undertake risk assessments 
of new substances when necessary. The EWS works by collecting information on the 
appearance and spread of new substances from the 30 national early warning systems 
reporting to the EMCDDA and then monitoring them for signals of harm, allowing the EU to 
respond rapidly to emerging threats. In the past few years the importance of this work has 
grown following a dramatic increase in the number, type and availability of NPS in Europe. A 
total of 101 NPS were detected on the EU drug market for the first time in 2014 (the last year 
for which complete data were available at the time of writing), which is almost 25 % of the total 
number of NPS monitored by the EWS since 1997. This brings the total number monitored by 
the EMCDDA to more than 450 — close to double the number of substances controlled under 
the United Nations international drug control conventions — with more than half of these being 
reported in the last three years alone.

The growth in the market is also responsible for the increase in serious harms reported to the 
EMCDDA in recent years. Most of these concern non-fatal intoxications and deaths, but they 
also include broader social harms, such as those caused by high-risk drug users switching from 
injecting heroin to synthetic cathinones. During 2014, serious harms that required urgent 
attention led to 16 public health-related alerts being issued by the EMCDDA, while six new 
substances required risk assessment by the EMCDDA’s Scientific Committee at the request of 
the Council of the EU (twice as many as during the entire period 2010–13, and one-third of the 
total number of risk assessments ever conducted). Together, the six substances were 
associated with more than 200 deaths and more than 700 non-fatal intoxications in Europe.

It is likely that the growth of the market in new psychoactive substances will continue to pose a 
range of challenges for public health and drug policy over the next few years. The major drivers 
of many of these are the speed at which they appear, their open sale, and that there is little or no 
information on their effects and harms. There is a need therefore for a strong EU EWS that is 
able to provide a timely response in order to protect public health; in this regard, the EMCDDA 
will continue to play a critical role, together with its partners, in ensuring that the EU EWS meets 
the growing challenges it faces and fulfils its critical role in protecting the health of EU citizens.

The EMCDDA will make an important contribution to implementing EU policy objectives and 
provide ongoing high-quality expertise to its stakeholders, especially to the European 
Commission, other EU institutions, and the EU Member States (see Key area 1). This will be 
especially important in 2016–18 due to the fact that the period falls in a particularly important 

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phase in the field of drugs, which will shape the policy landscape around us and will bring new 
requirements, but also new opportunities, for the agency. At European level, the year 2016 is the 
end date of the current EU action plan (AP) 2013–16, and the EMCDDA will support the 
European Commission in reporting on its implementation. The agency may also be required to 
provide support to the EU Presidencies in the drafting of the new AP for 2017–20, as appropriate 
and upon request. Internationally, in 2016, the United Nations General Assembly Special 
Session (UNGASS) on drugs will review the world drug situation; in 2019, the United Nations 
(UN) Member States will review the achievements made by the implementation of the UN 
political declaration and plan of action on drugs adopted in 2009. It is likely that these events 
will generate increased attention on the drug situation in all regions of the world, including 
Europe, and will increase the number of requests to the EMCDDA for technical support.

A key element for the implementation of this three-year strategy and work programme will be the 
amount of resources available during this period. The Communication of the European 
Commission to the European Parliament and the Council on the programming of human and 
financial resources for decentralised agencies for 2014–20 (see COM (2013) 519 final of 10 July 
2013) provided a first estimate of this amount. Pursuant to this information and without 
prejudice to the actual decision to be taken by the EU budget authority for the adoption of the 
EU annual subsidy to the EMCDDA and the establishment plan of the latter, it is estimated that 
by 2018 the EMCDDA would operate with an EU annual subsidy of MEUR 14.8. This would 
reflect a status quo compared to the amount of EU annual subsidy received in 2014 and 2015 
(and a reduction of 5 % compared to 2013).

Finally, the fourth external evaluation of the EMCDDA is likely to be carried out by the European 
Commission during 2016–18. The exercise will evaluate the success of the implementation of 
this new three-year strategy and work programme, and of the previous strategy and work 
programme for 2013–15. This will be complemented by the annual monitoring effort, which will 
be set up by the EMCDDA in order to measure the progress achieved in the implementation of 
each of the upcoming annual work programmes, of which the first one will be for 2016 (see 
Annex II — Monitoring and evaluation).

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CHAPTER 1
2016–18 strategy and work programme

I   Introduction: the EMCDDA’s value chain 

― transforming information into state-of-
the-art analysis for decision-making

This strategy and work programme is built around six strategic 
action areas, composed of three key action areas (KA): 
communicating evidence and knowledge exchange; early 
warning and threat assessment; and situation, responses and 
trend analysis; plus three cross-cutting action areas (CA): 
information collection and management; quality assurance; 
and cooperation with partners. Together, these areas cover 
the agency’s core tasks and form the conceptual building 

blocks needed to assemble a comprehensive understanding 
of the European drug phenomenon.

This structure reflects the EMCDDA’s production flow as an 
information agency, from inputs to outputs, through 
monitoring and analysis processes.

In addition, two corporate action areas ― governance, and 
administration and ICT ― present the management and 
support activities, which is key to ensuring that the work 
planned within the strategic areas can be successfully 
performed.

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Vision:
More secure and healthier Europe

Better evidence for decision-making and action

Data and information dissemination

Communicating evidence and knowledge exchange

Data and information analysis

Early warning and threat 
assessment

Situation, responses 
and trend analysis

Data and information 
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I  Key strategic action areas

I  Cross-cutting strategic action areas

These three areas are the pillars of the EMCDDA’s information 
and analysis chain.

Activities in these areas are of a horizontal nature in that they 
feed, thus significantly contribute to, the key action areas.

Communicating evidence and knowledge exchange (Key area 
1): This incorporates the key outputs (products and services) 
that the EMCDDA will provide to its customers (audiences) 
during 2016–18. This area also includes capacity building and 
training activities, which are an integral part of the knowledge 
transfer the agency instigates each year for the benefit of its 
customers: stakeholders and partners, as well as other 
audiences (such as academia).

However, these outputs are just the end result visible to our 
audiences and are derived from complex monitoring and 
analysis processes that our highly specialised staff perform on 
a daily basis. These critical processes are presented in the 
other two key areas.

Early warning and threat assessment (Key area 2): This 
includes the rapid monitoring component of the EMCDDA’s 
overall monitoring system. It is composed of two main parts, 
namely the EU Early Warning System (EWS) and the risk 
assessment of new drugs, and emerging trends and threats. 
Both of these rapid-response components detect new trends 
in the drug phenomenon, assess the threats and issue alerts 
in a timely manner. Due to the very dynamic nature of these 
emerging trends and their threats to EU citizens, routine 
monitoring is not sufficient to capture, analyse and report on 
them quickly. Special rapid-response mechanisms are 
necessary and they are all encompassed in this key area.

Situation, responses and trend analysis (Key area 3): This 
encompasses the core monitoring and analysis activities of 
the EMCDDA, which provide an annual state-of-the-art 
overview of drug demand and supply, together with the 
responses to tackle them and the core trends in these 
domains. These activities are based on established tools and 
processes that are regularly assessed to ensure that they are 
fit for purpose. These tools are complemented by the 
development of new ones that allow the monitoring of novel 
areas, as necessary. Together, these methodological activities 
ensure the relevance and efficiency of the EMCDDA’s core 
monitoring system. Moreover, it is of utmost importance that 
this system provides valid, reliable and accurate information, 
in order to inform sound decisions for policy and practice.

Information collection and management (Cross-cutting area 
A): This encompasses all the activities related to information 
collection and management at the EMCDDA. This is the entry 
point (input) into the EMCDDA’s monitoring systems ― for 
rapid (Key area 2) and core monitoring (Key area 3). This area 
includes both the tools for data collection and storing (Fonte, 
the data warehouse, the European Database on New Drugs 
— EDND) and the processes for managing these data 
(checking and validation). The management of the Reitox 
network of national focal points, the EMCDDA’s main data 
providers, is also presented in this area.

Quality assurance (Cross-cutting area B): This contains all the 
activities that ensure that the agency’s core business inputs, 
processes and outputs fulfil the quality standards in place at 
the EMCDDA. Activities related to the Scientific Committee 
and scientific coordination tasks are included in this area.

Cooperation with partners (Cross-cutting area C): This 
presents the activities carried out by the EMCDDA together 
with and/or for the benefit of its key partners, at EU level 
(Member States, the institutions and other agencies) and at 
non-EU level (international organisations and third countries).

I  Corporate action areas

Governance: This corporate area encompasses the activities 
related to the EMCDDA’s Management Board and to the 
overall management and leadership of the agency, including 
internal control, corporate planning and performance 
measuring.

Administration and ICT: This corporate area contains the tasks 
related to the management of resources (human, financial, 
material) and the management of the information and 
communications technology (ICT) infrastructure.

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2016–18 STRATEGY AND WORK PROGRAMMEI   Key strategic action area 1: 

communicating evidence and knowledge 
exchange

The ultimate purpose of the work performed by the EMCDDA 
is to inform sound decisions in the field of drugs at the level of 
the EU and its Member States. The complex processes related 
to the data collection, monitoring and analysis all have the 
unique purpose of producing the evidence that policymakers 
and professionals from across the EU need in order to 
efficiently tackle the drug phenomenon.

This evidence is communicated by the EMCDDA through 
different means, depending on the needs of its audiences, 
which are assimilated by the agency as its customers. The 
most important means are the outputs ― products and 
services ― that the agency provides to its customers. These 
outputs are complemented by a range of knowledge exchange 
activities, which include the dissemination of best practice as 
well as capacity building and training initiatives.

The EMCDDA’s main customers are its key stakeholders and 
partners: the EU institutions (European Parliament, Council of 
the EU, European Commission, European External Action 
Service), and the Member States, and also relevant EU 
agencies and other international partners.

Underpinning activities in this key area is the EMCDDA’s 
integrated communication strategy, which sets out 
fundamental principles for communicating the agency’s 
knowledge and presents the tools and techniques available to 
serve, and nurture relations with, its audiences. Among others, 
the strategy promotes a more customer-oriented approach, 
via regularly analysing audience needs and preferences and 
ensuring that emphasis is shifted appropriately. A specific 
audience engagement strategy, developed in 2013–15, paves 
the way for targeted actions in 2016–18. EMCDDA 
stakeholder relations will be proactive and based on 
cooperation models aimed at generating mutual benefit. They 
will have their roots in the agency’s communication core 
values, namely: relevance, quality, efficiency, transparency and 
consistency.

In 2013–15, the EMCDDA streamlined its product range with a 
view to improving timeliness and offering better access to 
higher-quality information while reducing production costs. 
This work will be taken forward in 2016–18 with developments 
in digital publishing taken on board when defining products 
and their formats.

The agency produces timely and high-quality data, together 
with strategic and situational analyses and threat 
assessments to inform policy and practice. A comprehensive 
annual situation assessment of trends and developments in 

drug use in Europe will continue to be provided by the 
European Drug Report (EDR) package, the annual flagship 
publication of the EMCDDA. In 2013–15, this key output was 
completely reshaped and redesigned to be more timely, 
interactive and interlinked. The package includes the 
multilingual Trends and Developments report, the Statistical 
Bulletin, Country Overviews and the focused online analyses 
Perspectives on Drugs (PODs). The Statistical Bulletin, one of 
the pillars of the EDR, underwent a major transformation in 
order to distinguish better between reported data and data 
analysed by the EMCDDA. The four main components of the 
Statistical Bulletin became: a) a data bank containing the data 
reported to the EMCDDA in an easy-access format; b) 
methods and definitions, harmonised where possible, and 
including general information related to the indicator and 
country-level information; c) factsheets providing short 
analyses of the data and supporting the content of the Trends 
and developments report; and d) data visualisation of the 
main data sets. The EDR package will be launched every year 
and its content and format will continue to be improved in 
order to meet the changing and growing needs of its 
audiences.

The EDR will be complemented by two triennial state-of-the-
art strategic analyses of established and emerging challenges. 
These are the EU Drug Markets Report (EDMR) produced 
jointly with Europol, and the new European Drug Responses 
Report (EDRR).

The first edition of the EU Drug Markets Report was launched 
in 2013. The document, produced at the request of the EU 
Commissioner for Home Affairs (at that time Cecilia 
Malmström), combines Europol’s strategic and operational 
understanding of trends and developments with the 
EMCDDA’s ongoing monitoring and analysis of the drug 
phenomenon. Following its publication, the report has become 
an essential reference tool for policymakers and law-
enforcement professionals in the EU and beyond. The second 
edition of the EDMR is already raising high expectations from 
key stakeholders. It will be published by the two agencies in 
the first half of 2016, and the third edition of the EDMR is 
already planned for production in 2018 with publication in 
2019.

The first European Drug Responses Report will be prepared in 
2016 for publication in 2017. This new, comprehensive 
strategic analysis aims to provide a state-of-the-art overview 
of the responses to drug use across the EU and their 
effectiveness, as well as recommendations for actions. It will 
be designed as the ‘health companion’ to the European Drug 
Markets Report; together with the annual European Drug 
Report, these reports will provide the complete picture of the 
drug phenomenon and will represent the essential information 
and analysis package for policymakers in the EU and beyond. 
The periodicity of the EDRR is planned to coincide with the 

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2016–18 STRATEGY AND WORK PROGRAMMEbeginning and the end of the new EU action plan 2017–20 
(first edition in 2017 and second edition in 2020).

In addition to the three major outputs described above, in 
2016–18 the EMCDDA will produce and publish smaller and 
focused strategic analyses based on emerging topics, 
geographical developments and the information needs of 
different stakeholder groups, and in keeping with policy 
requests.

Furthermore, in line with the agency’s commitment to further 
develop its rapid monitoring system (see Key area 2), the 
EMCDDA will produce prompt and focused products to enable 
the immediate dissemination of critical information relevant to 
safeguarding public health and safety (threat assessment 
reports). This will include (as appropriate): joint analyses (with 
Europol, ECDC); trendspotting case studies/reports; and 
outputs related to the implementation of the applicable legal 
framework on NPS, in particular the EMCDDA–Europol Joint 
Reports and the EMCDDA risk assessments.

The agency will also publish thematic outputs on topical 
developments and emerging issues in all areas. Examples 
include analyses on treatment, prevention and legal systems 
in the EU; an overview of Internet-based interventions, 
polydrug analysis, etc. An important output will be the online 
EU Guidelines for the evaluation of national drug strategies, 
addressed to policymakers in the Member States, which is 
planned for release in 2016.

In 2016, the EMCDDA will publish for the first time, together 
with the European School Survey Project on Alcohol and 
Other Drugs (ESPAD), the 2015 ESPAD report. Other joint 
products will be produced, as appropriate, based on the most 
relevant topics and following a synergistic approach.

Online communication will remain the agency’s privileged 
channel for disseminating up-to-date knowledge on all facets 
of the drug problem, with the EMCDDA’s website at its core. A 
new website launched in 2015 offers the EMCDDA’s 
audiences easier access to more interactive products, tools 
and multilingual elements. In 2016–18, the website will be 
regularly updated and further developed. Online top overviews 
and updates on emerging issues will be published for all the 
substantive areas. Furthermore, the EMCDDA will provide 
improved access to its data to interested third parties. This will 
include data on new drugs through the public access layer of 
the EDND and through improved presentation of the country 
data provided by the NFPs (see Cross-cutting area A). Social 
media and multi-media channels will be used to communicate 
events and findings and engage more actively with our 
audiences in real time.

be particularly significant in 2016–18 due to the fact that the 
period covers an important policy phase in the field of drugs. 
The EMCDDA will support the European Commission to report 
on the implementation of the current EU AP, which ends in 
2016, and will provide support to the EU Presidencies in the 
preparatory work for the new AP for 2017–20 (if requested). 
Internationally, in 2016 the UNGASS on drugs will review the 
world drug situation, and in 2019 the UN Member States will 
review achievements made through the implementation of the 
UN political declaration and plan of action on drugs adopted in 
2009. As already pointed out by the EC in their input provided 
to the informal consultation on this three-year strategy, the 
EMCDDA must be prepared to offer the necessary technical 
support to the EU and its Member States to ensure follow-up 
on the conclusions of the 2016 UNGASS, and to the 
preparatory work for the 2019 assessment and political 
declaration.

The EMCDDA has extensive expertise in relations with third 
countries, especially those that are a priority for the EU, namely 
the candidate and potential candidate countries and the 
neighbouring countries (see Cross-cutting area C). The agency 
will continue to provide technical support to the EC in this area. 
Furthermore, the information collected from the partner 
countries in the context of this cooperation will feed into the 
strategic and threat assessments produced by the EMCDDA.

Knowledge exchange will be an ongoing task in 2016–18. 
Among others, it will involve the dissemination of best 
practice, in line with needs and available resources, and the 
design and implementation of capacity building and training 
initiatives for our different audiences.

Identifying and disseminating information on best practice 
and the effectiveness of interventions across the EU and 
beyond is a key area for the EMCDDA ― a task introduced into 
the agency’s mandate by its recast regulation of 2006. The 
main dissemination channel is the Best practice portal (BPP), 
an essential tool that was revamped in 2014. Targeted at 
practitioners and professionals working in the drugs field, the 
portal is designed as a practical and reliable source of what 
works, and what does not, in the areas of drug-related 
prevention, treatment, harm reduction and social 
reintegration. In 2016–18, the new-look portal will continue to 
help users to: identify tried and tested interventions quickly; 
allocate resources to what is effective; evaluate and improve 
interventions, by applying practical tools, quality standards 
and guidelines; and take better decisions, gaining from 
experience and expertise across Europe. The existing modules 
will be updated regularly and new modules on emerging 
topics, such as responses to NPS and national strategy 
evaluations (including economic aspects), will be added.

At EU level, the agency will continue to support sound 
policymaking through its high-quality technical input. This will 

Another effective means of disseminating best practice is 
through training activities. These will include Reitox 

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2016–18 STRATEGY AND WORK PROGRAMMEAcademies for professionals in EU Member States and third 
countries, training activities carried out in cooperation with 
partners, such as institutional partners (e.g. CEPOL — 
European Police College) or academia. Depending on 
resources, an online training platform may also be developed.

As an information agency, a core aspect of the EMCDDA’s 
work involves disseminating its knowledge in the field via 
face-to-face communication at institutional events, 
conferences, seminars and expert meetings, and by receiving 
visitors to the agency. These events allow focused messages 
to be delivered to a specialised audience; they also provide 
excellent multiplier potential. Measuring the impact of these 

activities will help the agency further prioritise and tailor its 
interventions in 2016–18.

The EMCDDA targets the media as a prime conduit of 
information to its target audiences and is committed to 
providing journalists with a high-quality, timely and balanced 
information service on drugs. Through its professional 
approach to media relations, the agency aims to increase its 
reputation and visibility, disseminate the results of its work 
and raise awareness among its key stakeholders. In 2016–18, 
continuous effort will be made to sustain strong and positive 
media relations with drug-specialised journalists in Europe 
who act as effective multipliers.

Strategic objective: 

Provide policy and practice with better evidence for decision-making and action, and serve as the European central reference point for drug-related 
information and analysis

Actions

1.1.  Inform policy and practice by providing timely and 
high-quality data, strategic and situational analyses 
and threat assessments 

Key results
n   Comprehensive annual situation assessment of trends and developments in drug use in 

Europe:

•   European Drug Report (EDR) package

n   State-of-the-art strategic analyses of key issues and emerging challenges:

•   EU Drug Markets Report (EDMR): second edition published 2016; third edition drafted 

2018 (for publication in 2019)

•   European Drug Responses Report (EDRR): first edition — first draft in 2016 and 

publication in late 2017

•   Focused strategic analyses (short and policy-oriented, topics defined by need)

n   Risk and threat assessment reports (event generated):

•   EMCDDA–Europol Joint Reports on NPS
•   Risk assessments and corresponding reports on NPS
•   Joint threat assessments (with Europol, ECDC)
•   Trendspotter studies

n   Topic overviews of important established or emerging issues (developments in: 

prevention, treatment systems, e-health, responses to NPS, HCV, etc.)

n   EMCDDA–Europol Annual Report on the implementation of Council Decision 2005/387/

JHA (or applicable legal framework) on NPS

n   Other joint publications:

•   2015 ESPAD report, published in 2016
•   Joint guidance with ECDC (as needed)

n   Scientific articles in high impact journals

n   On the web: online top-level overviews and updates on emerging issues (all areas)

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2016–18 STRATEGY AND WORK PROGRAMMEActions

1.2.  Support services for relevant European and 
national level policy and technical activities and 
meetings (knowledge exchange, institutional support, 
technical backstopping) (on request and resource 
dependent)

1.3.  Identify, promote and monitor best practice

1.4.  Support to practice in the Member States and 
third countries that are a priority for the EU (based on 
needs and available resources)

1.5.  Contribute to a better understanding of the 
European drug problem through engagement with 
policymakers, scientists, practitioners and civil society 

1.6.  Communicate successfully with media

Key results
n   Support for activities related to the work of the European Parliament, Council of the EU 

and European Commission, including:

•   EU drug strategy (2013–20) and APs (2013–16; 2017–20)
•   European Agenda on Security 2015–20
•   Other relevant policy initiatives and action plans (e.g. Action plan on HIV/AIDS in the EU 

and neighbouring countries (2014–16) and other appropriate activities aimed at 
infectious diseases, HCV in particular; EU alcohol strategy, etc.)

•   Participation at key drug-related events
•   Activities with third countries
•   Data exchange and technical cooperation with the UN system

n   Support for EU-funded research (in areas relevant to the EMCDDA’s mandate)

n   Support for EU Member States, including responding to information requests and 

providing technical input to national initiatives

n   Best practice portal kept up to date and usability enhanced
n   Knowledge base extended in areas that are not yet fully covered
n   Enhanced national capacity for drug monitoring and reporting, policy evaluation and early 

warning and threat assessment activities

n   Countries supported to implement effective interventions
n   Training initiatives (online resources, courses, input to activities with partners, e.g. 

academia or institutional partners, such as CEPOL)

n   Effective dissemination of EMCDDA knowledge base to target audiences
n   Increased use of social and multi-media communication channels for immediacy and 

wider reach

n   Stakeholders’ satisfaction through better tailored products and services
n   High-quality news coverage of the EMCDDA’s activities

15 / 64

2016–18 STRATEGY AND WORK PROGRAMMEI   Key strategic action area 2: early warning 

and threat assessment

I   Responding to NPS ― the EU Early Warning System 

and risk assessment

Strengthening the EMCDDA’s capacity to identify, assess, 
prioritise and respond to new threats as part of its core 
activity of monitoring emerging trends is the top priority for 
the 2016–18 programming period. Activities conducted in 
support of the EU mechanism to monitor and respond to NPS 
represent a key component in this area. This mechanism, 
established by the joint action from 1997 concerning 
information exchange, risk assessment and the control of new 
synthetic drugs and currently operating under the Council 
Decision 2005/387/JHA, provides Europe with an EU EWS. It 
is implemented by the EMCDDA and its partners in the 
Member States (the Reitox network) in cooperation with 
Europol, and with the active contribution of the European 
Medicines Agency (EMA) and the EC. The strength of the EWS 
is derived in part from the fact that the events-based data 
reported through the system sits within, and benefits from, the 
broader framework of indicator-based data that the agency 
has established.

Over the past few years, the importance of this work has 
grown following a dramatic increase in the number, type and 
availability of NPS in Europe. A total of 101 NPS were detected 
on the EU drug market for the first time in 2014, which is 
almost 25 % of the total number of NPS monitored by the EWS 
since 1997. Alongside information on the appearance of NPS 
on the market, a key function of the EWS is to identify signals 
of serious harms and respond as necessary. This requires 
monitoring each of the more than 450 substances that have 
been reported so far. A growing number of reports of serious 
harms, often related to acute toxicity leading to hospitalisation 
and deaths, have been processed by the EWS in recent years. 
Since 2005, the EMCDDA has issued 117 public health alerts, 
of which more than 70 % were in the last five years. Of great 
concern in this respect is that during 2014 a record number of 
six risk assessments (RAs) were requested by the Council of 
the EU (twice as many as during the entire period 2010–13 
and one-third of the total number of RAs ever conducted). 
Together, the six substances were associated with more than 
200 deaths and more than 700 non-fatal intoxications. 
However, currently there is no provision for the EMCDDA to 
commission experimental (in vitro or in vivo) studies that 
would greatly enhance the risk assessments.

Knowledge of the number and type of NPS reported each year 
is critical to understanding the development and growth of the 
market. These numbers, however, fail to convey the enormous 
amount of work undertaken in real time by the EWS network at 

national and EU level. Furthermore, all the signs appear to 
indicate that future information needs in this area will 
increase; consequently, the demands placed on the EMCDDA 
in this respect are likely to grow.

It is clear from these recent developments that the early 
identification and response to emerging threats will 
increasingly benefit from more proactive data collection 
systems. As a result, the EMCDDA is working to improve the 
ability of the EWS to detect signals of public health relevance 
from open source information (OSI) by developing and 
implementing OSI monitoring and analysis systems that can 
provide new data on areas such as the online drug markets, 
epidemiology and reports of serious adverse events.

The toxicovigilance component of the EWS is the mechanism 
that permits early detection of an emerging toxicological 
problem related to a new substance both at national and EU 
level. This allows public health alerts to be issued to the EWS 
network and the substance to be placed under intensive 
monitoring. In order for the EMCDDA to meet the increased 
needs and demands arising from the phenomenon both at 
national and EU level, identification, reporting and monitoring 
of serious adverse events needs to be scaled up. With this in 
mind, in 2013 the EMCDDA began to develop a framework to 
strengthen the toxicovigilance component of the EWS. The 
first European expert meeting took place in 2014 and work will 
be enhanced during the 2016–18 period. The system will 
facilitate the identification and reporting of serious events as 
well as optimise the reported data in order to best analyse 
these signals. It will be strengthened by drawing on data from 
the new systems being developed for monitoring OSI on 
serious adverse events (discussed above). Ultimately, this will 
allow the Member States and the EU to respond earlier to 
emerging harms.

Improving our understanding of the phenomenon also requires 
strengthening of the monitoring of new drug laws and policies 
and health and social responses to NPS, as well as developing 
and integrating epidemiological surveillance of NPS and other 
emerging drug trends into core monitoring procedures (see 
Key area 3).

In addition, a new legislative framework on new psychoactive 
substances is expected to enter into force during the course 
of this three-year work programme. The associated 
information exchange and risk assessment mechanism and 
related data collection tools and guidelines will need to be 
developed.

Reflecting the globalised nature of the NPS phenomenon, 
international cooperation with third countries will be 
strengthened (see also Cross-cutting area C). Among others, 
support will be provided to candidate and potential candidate 
countries (CC and PCC) in establishing and developing an 

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2016–18 STRATEGY AND WORK PROGRAMMEEWS at national level, as requested in Chapter 24 of the 
negotiation package to the enlargement.

Furthermore, cooperation with the United Nations Office on 
Drugs and Crime (UNODC) and the World Health Organization 
(WHO) will be stepped up in 2016–18 with a view to 
enhancing data sharing and exchange of experience in the 
field of NPS. This will contribute to a better understanding of 
the global phenomenon while avoiding double reporting by the 
Member States and will also ensure efficiency.

I  Emerging trends and threats

The dynamic nature of drug use requires an equally dynamic 
monitoring response. The detection and monitoring of new 
trends therefore remains one of our key tasks, of which the 
EWS is but one element. We will work, therefore, to strengthen 
the EMCDDA’s system for monitoring and understanding new 
and emerging trends in drug use and drug markets. Moreover, 
cooperation with key partners such as Europol, ECDC and 
EMA will be enhanced.

The EMCDDA will follow a three-tiered approach for reaching 
the goals of this new strategy: 1) strengthen existing rapid 
information assessment tools; 2) integrate new methods and 
tools into existing monitoring routines; and 3) explore new 
data sources for the timely identification of emerging threats.

During 2016–18, the EMCDDA will build on past successes 
and improve the existing rapid information assessment tools. 
Using knowledge gained from previous trendspotter studies, 
the trendspotter methodology will be consolidated. Equally 
important is the close collaboration between the EMCDDA 
and ECDC on monitoring incoming information on the 
evolution and epidemiology of drug-related infectious 
diseases. Furthermore, existing expert networks will continue 
their role as alert-platforms for early warnings in the field of 
drug-related harm and related responses (infections, deaths 
and other acute problems).

As emerging threats in the supply area are identified, rapid 
joint analyses with Europol will be conducted in order to 
enhance law-enforcement responses.

The integration of new methods and tools into existing 
monitoring routines is of crucial importance here. One 

example is the need for rapid and efficient inclusion of new 
substances or new patterns of use in routine monitoring tools 
once their significance is established. This will be done based 
on an annual systematic review of new drugs and behaviours 
and an analysis of the implications for routine monitoring 
tools. In addition, new sensitive and timely monitoring tools 
need to be integrated into routine monitoring systems. 
Wastewater-based epidemiology, for example, has 
demonstrated its potential as an important complement to 
established monitoring tools and has moved from being an 
experimental technique to being a new method in the 
epidemiological toolkit. Another example is the development 
of hospital emergencies data as an instrument to be included 
in routine reporting. In addition, the EMCDDA will continue its 
support for innovative methods such as pooled urine analysis 
and analysis of syringes to improve timely identification and 
reporting of new trends.

Equally important for this area is the exploration of new data 
sources for the timely identification and reporting on emerging 
threats. One example here is the development of systematic 
tools for monitoring online drug markets and drug user forums. 
The EMCDDA will also investigate the potential of innovative 
online information collection methods such as crowdsourcing.

Through a combination of structured monitoring and analysis 
of the Internet, the EMCDDA will provide a better 
understanding of the nature and scale of the online market 
and of new developments, both at consumer and at supply 
level as well as early identification of new trends and threats.

Identifying and responding to emerging trends in a timely 
fashion relies critically on event-based data. In recent years, 
the Internet has become a vast source of such data. The 
EMCDDA will develop tools that allow OSI to be collected from 
the Internet and analysed on a range of indicators of NPS use. 
This includes systems to monitor the online market and 
epidemiological indicators, and reports of serious adverse 
events.

The identification of new developments requires an 
appropriate dissemination approach. The EMCDDA will 
continue to issue alerts when these are required through the 
Reitox EWS network and other expert information networks 
and channels.

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2016–18 STRATEGY AND WORK PROGRAMMEStrategic objective: 

Support rapid EU response to new threats by providing EU institutions and Member States with prompt and scientifically sound information for 
action on new psychoactive substances and emerging drug trends

Actions

Key results

Responding to NPS — EU EWS and risk assessment

2.1.  Implement the provisions of the legislative 
framework on EWS and risk assessment in place in 
2016–18 

2.2.  Implement the provisions of Article 28c of the EU 
Pharmacovigilance (PhV) legislation 

2.3.  Support capacity development in the forensic 
science and toxicology area

2.4.  Support the use of EU data and analysis on NPS 
in international level activities (in line with reporting 
obligations and existing Memorandums of 
Understanding — MoUs) and sustain third countries in 
building national EWS

Emerging trends and threats

2.5.  Timely identification of emerging threats through 
the use of rapid information assessment methods

2.6.  Develop new methods and tools for timely 
identification and reporting

2.7.  Further develop and systematise existing timely 
and sensitive identification methods and tools 

n   Operational EWS and information exchange mechanism:

•   NPS appearing on the EU market are detected, notified in a timely manner, 

systematically monitored, and action is taken as necessary (e.g. public health alerts are 
issued)

•   Joint Reports are prepared (as appropriate)
•   Structured data is collected periodically and NPS trends are identified and analysed
•   EWS network is operational and supported by the EMCDDA

n   EU-level risk assessment procedure is implemented, as required: scientific evidence on 
the health and social risks posed by the use of NPS provided to the Council and the 
Commission, on the basis of which further actions towards measures to control these 
substances at EU level may be taken
n   Improved knowledge of the NPS market
n   Strengthened capacity to identify emerging toxicological problems associated with the 

use of NPS (toxicovigilance)

n   Strengthened proactive approach to the early detection and response to emerging 

threats through the use of OSI monitoring and analysis

n   Guidelines, procedures, processes and tools adapted to the new legislative framework 

and implemented (as required)

n   Effective information exchange with EMA and the EU PhV system 

n   Increased capacity and information sharing on forensic science data

n   Data exchange with international bodies (e.g. UNODC, WHO) to support prioritisation, 

scheduling discussions and information exchange activities

n   Increased capacity of third countries (mainly candidate and potential candidate 

countries) to design and operate an EWS at national level

n   Emerging trends and threats captured and reported in a timely manner:

•   Trendspotting methodology completed and published
•   Trendspotter forum, including online key informants network, up and running
•   Rapid and in-depth assessments of new threats, as required (Trendspotter studies)
•   Joint risk assessments on emerging threats (as required; e.g. with Europol and ECDC)
•   Further platforms and mechanisms for early warnings/threat assessments in the field 

of drug use (online or targeted surveys), harm (drug-related deaths — DRD, drug-
related infectious diseases — DRID, emergencies) and responses (threat prevention, 
harm reduction) developed 

n   OSI systematically mined and integrated into EMCDDA analyses:

•   Internet monitoring tools in place for online markets and drug user forums
•   Development of OSI monitoring and analysis systems relevant for proactive early 

detection of new trends and threats of public health relevance

•   New online information data collection tools developed as appropriate (e.g. 

crowdsourcing)

n   Wastewater findings and hospital emergencies data integrated into routine monitoring 

systems

2.8.  Sensitise routine methods and tools 

n   Rapid and efficient inclusion of new substances or new patterns of use in all routine 

monitoring tools (as appropriate)

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2016–18 STRATEGY AND WORK PROGRAMMEI   Key strategic action area 3: situation, 

responses and trend analysis

The foundation of the EMCDDA’s work is provided by its core 
monitoring activities. Throughout the more than two decades 
of drug monitoring in Europe, this foundation has become 
more solid, as the number of tools developed by the agency 
with support from its networks has grown and their usefulness 
in collecting reliable and comparable data from across the EU 
has increased. It is worth noting that at present the EMCDDA’s 
data on core monitoring accounts for most of the data 
available in Europe on the health and social consequences of 
drug use.

The monitoring work is focused on two core dimensions: the 
drug situation and the responses to tackle it. Together they 
address both the demand for and the supply of drugs. These 
two comprehensive dimensions are interlinked and they feed 
complex multi-area and cross-indicator analyses. This 
integrated and holistic approach allows the agency to provide 
an accurate diagnosis of the drug phenomenon at EU level, 
together with a reliable assessment of the effectiveness of 
responses to the different forms of drug use and supply, and 
their consequences.

These dimensions are complemented by the rapid information 
collection and analysis as part of the early warning and threat 
assessment component (see Key area 2). Together they form 
the basis of the comprehensive knowledge that the EMCDDA 
disseminates via multiple channels and means, including 
state-of-the-art outputs and high-quality services (see Key 
area 1), as its critical contribution to informed and evidence-
based action in drug policy and practice.

In terms of monitoring the demand side of the drug situation, 
the agency relies on its well-established key epidemiological 
indicators (KIs), which include: the prevalence and pattern of 
drug use in the general population (general population survey 
— GPS); the prevalence and patterns of high-risk drug use 
(problem drug use – PDU); the number and characteristics of 
drug users contacting drug services, in particular treatment 
services (treatment demand indicator — TDI); the number of 
drug-induced deaths and mortality among drug users (drug-
related deaths — DRD); and the infectious diseases related to 
drug use (drug-related infectious diseases — DRID).These 
indicators are now conceptually stable and only limited 
methodological improvements will be needed in order to 
ensure they remain fit for purpose. This work will be steered by 
annual assessments, which will be complemented by a 
comprehensive triennial review planned for 2018.

As the drug situation evolves constantly, it is important that 
the methods and tools keep pace with developments. With 
this in mind, in 2016–18 the focus will be on increasing 

analysis and quality control, while expanding the range of 
sources and methods, including analysis of: the prevalence of 
different forms of drug use; the patterns of use (from 
experimental to recreational and to high-risk drug use); the 
characteristics and risk profiles of users (including injection, 
polydrug use including notably alcohol use, psychiatric 
co-morbidity and others); and the main measurable health and 
social consequences (acute and chronic). In parallel, it will be 
necessary to increase the quality and comparability of our 
information regarding the different types of responses that 
aim to prevent use, reduce harms, or treat and help the 
recovery and social reintegration of drug users with problems. 
Monitoring polydrug use, namely the consumption of illicit 
drugs in combination with licit substances or medication, is an 
area that requires further strengthening. Considerable policy 
concern exists in Europe and beyond in this area, especially as 
far as the interaction between alcohol and drug use is 
concerned.

As a step towards developing this part of its mandate, in 
2013–15 the EMCDDA significantly enhanced its collaboration 
with ESPAD activities. ESPAD provides useful and harmonised 
information on long-term patterns of substance use, including 
polydrug use, in many EU countries and neighbouring 
countries. The EMCDDA Management Board, the Swedish 
Government and the European Commission have 
acknowledged that the agency is an appropriate institutional 
home for the study; hence, they have stressed the need for 
ESPAD, while maintaining its individual entity, to be 
progressively anchored in the EMCDDA. This successful 
collaboration will be taken forward in 2016–18 in the 
framework of the cooperation strategy developed by the two 
organisations. In 2015 the EMCDDA received the formal 
request from the Swedish Government to assume 
responsibility for the coordination of ESPAD. In 2016, the 
agency will perform the necessary coordination activities, and 
it will publish the 2015 ESPAD Report. Furthermore, in close 
cooperation with the European Commission, the EMCDDA will 
look at options to ensure that the other future ESPAD-related 
tasks can be assumed by the agency.

Furthermore, the developmental area of monitoring the 
misuse of medicines will be naturally linked and integrated 
with the activities related to polydrug use, as well as the 
implementation of the EWS and the monitoring of emerging 
trends (see Key area 2).

In 2016–18, the EMCDDA will seek to adopt and gradually 
implement the conceptual framework on monitoring the 
misuse of medicines completed in 2015, within the context 
provided by the EMCDDA regulation and mandate pertaining 
to this area. To this end, reaching a consensus with the NFPs 
on some critical aspects, such as the scope of the work 
(including definitions), the next steps in the implementation of 
the EMCDDA activities and their role in the process, will be 

19 / 64

2016–18 STRATEGY AND WORK PROGRAMMEimportant. Building an expert network will be another 
important element during 2016–18; this will include closer 
collaboration with clinicians and practitioners who can share 
their expertise on issues such as the role of prescription 
practices and possible examples of best practice related to 
prescribing medicines. Multi-indicator analysis and literature 
reviews will provide the information for the case studies 
planned on the most relevant topics (examples may include 
fentanyl(s), pregabalin, ketamine, tramadol, etc.).

A complete picture of the drug situation cannot be provided 
without appropriate monitoring of the drug supply component, 
as the demand and supply indicators together provide the 
building blocks necessary for describing the drug situation 
and for tracking trends and developments.

Improving the measurement of drug markets and the 
effectiveness of drug supply reduction responses requires 
enhanced supply indicators and data, for which modest but 
timely investment will be required. In line with Action 16 of the 
EU action plan 2013–16, and building on the progress 
achieved in the 2013–15 programming period, the EMCDDA 
will further develop and progressively implement key indicators 
on drug supply as outlined in the 2013 Council Conclusions on 
improving the monitoring of drug supply in the EU.

In 2016, the EMCDDA will take forward the work implemented 
during 2013–15 to improve the comparability and quality of 
data available, while in 2017 and 2018 attention will be given 
to full implementation of the supply indicators (drug seizures, 
drug-law offences, drug purity and tablet content, drug prices, 
dismantled drug production facilities, perceived availability of 
drugs, and market size estimates) and to an ongoing review 
and assessment of the relevance of these data sets/sub-
indicators. Further indicators for monitoring drug supply 
reduction will be conceptualised, with the aim of identifying 
best practice examples. This will be part of the strategy for 
monitoring drug-related crime, including drug precursors, 
money laundering and trends in drug-law enforcement, which 
the EMCDDA is planning to develop progressively, in line with 
the available resources. To this end, an important element of 
EU-level drug-monitoring efforts is the collection and analysis 
of data on drug precursor seizures and stopped shipments by 
the European Commission. Although this information is not 
yet systematically analysed alongside the data collected by 
the EMCDDA from other areas, collaboration is already well 
underway and such pooling of knowledge will be a priority for 
cooperation with the Commission in the period 2016–18.

Eurojust are also represented, enhancing coordination at EU 
level. Ensuring continuity and stability while improving 
efficiency will be essential for the functioning of the Reference 
Group in 2016–18.

The indicators to monitor drug markets and drug-related crime 
that have been presented above will provide information that 
is critical for a better understanding of supply in the EU. They 
have the particularity to be able to capture both the size of the 
demand, especially if this information is combined with data 
provided by other sources (such as epidemiological indicators, 
see above), and the scope of the law-enforcement responses.

The responses dimension of drug monitoring completes the 
picture of the phenomenon. Data related to the range and 
coverage of interventions are naturally linked with information 
about the situation and trends in drug use. These data are 
integrated and analysed together and the results of these 
analyses support sound assessment of the effectiveness of 
responses. Ultimately, this provides the evidence-based 
information that supports sound actions in both policy and 
practice.

In terms of health and social responses, continuity will be 
ensured in the implementation of the existing tools and 
methodologies while regular assessments will be carried out 
in order to ensure that they remain efficient and relevant.

A priority intervention in 2013–15 has been to implement the 
treatment strategy, which allows the national estimates of the 
total number of people in treatment to be improved, and 
ultimately the gaps in the coverage of the different treatment 
systems across the EU to be assessed.

This will be taken forward in 2016–18 with an analysis of 
low-threshold and specialised treatment agencies and primary 
care facilities (general practitioners) — facilities that, although 
they represent a very important element of the treatment 
systems, often escape routine monitoring.

Knowledge on the total number in treatment will also be 
improved by the implementation of other instruments 
developed in 2013–15, such as the TDI treatment prevalence 
and the European Facility Survey Questionnaire (EFSQ). The 
results will allow reliable information to be collected on the 
total treated population and, together with other tools, will 
help to provide a complete national picture of the treatment 
provision.

Central to the work of the EMCDDA in the area of drug supply 
and drug supply reduction is the EMCDDA European 
Reference Group on drug supply issues, which was 
established in 2013. The Reference Group is composed of 
representatives from each Member State, who ensure the link 
to national expertise. Key partners, the EC, Europol and 

One important developmental area is the responses to NPS. 
This phenomenon has rapidly increased in recent years and, 
although a world-class early warning system mechanism has 
been implemented in order to monitor the growing number of 
NPS identified and their risks to users (see Key area 2), data 
on the responses to this dynamic phenomenon are still scarce 

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2016–18 STRATEGY AND WORK PROGRAMMEand difficult to obtain and use for meaningful analysis. There is 
a significant need, therefore (confirmed by the outcome of the 
external consultation exercise that was conducted to inform 
the preparation of this document), to develop this area, which 
has become increasingly important for policy and practice.

Some steps in this regard have already been taken in 2013–
15; however, in this new three-year programming period these 
efforts will become more systematic. A methodological 
framework for monitoring health-related responses to NPS will 
be put in place, with a view to it being implemented as part of 
the EMCDDA’s routine monitoring system by the end of 2018.

and other sources, verified by the Legal Correspondents (LC) 
network, with a view to moving towards more focused and 
rapidly updated online dissemination of current laws and 
trends. In line with recent events, there will be increased focus 
on collecting and disseminating legislation controlling 
cannabis and new psychoactive substances, while the agency 
will remain responsive to requests received from stakeholders.

Where possible, the EMCDDA will also continue to design and 
promote tools for comparing legislation applicable in third 
countries or regions with the aim of building on exchange of 
information and good practice.

The Internet is a rapid and easy means for procuring 
information. In recent years, however, it has also become a 
convenient vehicle for the purchase and sale of drugs, which 
has motivated the EMCDDA to step up its monitoring (see Key 
area 2). The Internet is also a means of seeking and providing 
interventions on drug use. To this end, a methodological 
framework for monitoring Internet-based interventions will be 
developed and implemented.

Furthermore, in 2016–18 the EMCDDA will continue to 
monitor the core aspects of drug legislation that define and 
penalise offences relating to drug use and supply, including 
national approaches to legislation on NPS. This activity will be 
improved by combining more closely information from Reitox 

Furthermore, the agency will increase its cross-indicator 
analysis, which will allow a better understanding of how laws 
are implemented, combining these with other datasets and 
innovative studies if required to fill information gaps. Closer 
cooperation with Eurojust will be pursued, to address 
challenges in controlling transnational drug supply.

Remembering that the ultimate aim of legislation is to affect 
behaviour, the EMCDDA will continue to collect and 
disseminate information on how legal changes seem to affect 
the behaviour of the users and traffickers targeted so as to 
inform policymakers on more efficient and effective drug 
legislation.

Strategic objective: 

Provide a holistic picture of the drug phenomenon, through an integrated and coherent core monitoring system

Actions

3.1.  State-of-the-art monitoring necessary for 
European level assessment of the drug situation (core 
trends and developments in use, consequences and 
responses)

3.2.  Develop and implement new tools and processes 
for monitoring drug demand and supply: situation and 
responses/interventions (developmental areas)

Key results
n   Core data sets (qualitative and quantitative) analysed to inform EMCDDA product lines
n   Implementation of monitoring tools optimised through:

•   Regular assessment and supporting processes and tools
•   Methodologies reviewed to ensure relevance (redundant areas removed, critical 

information gaps addressed)

n   Improved understanding of country-level data (contextual factors, methodological issues, 

configuration of responses)

n   Multi indicator analysis to allow cross-checking of findings and more sensitive detection 

of trends

n   Improvements to quality and comparability of drug supply data
n   Better description of drug laws and policies, including information on evaluations and 

impact

n   Overview of EU-funded and national drug-related research
n   Maximum value obtained from expert meetings, through greater focus on surveillance, 
cross-indicator analysis and rationalisation of methodological and tool development 
activities

n   Knowledge exchange and improved data quality through the maintenance of expert 

networks

n   Integration of ESPAD into the EMCDDA’s activities 
n   Improved tools to facilitate reporting in the areas of:

•   Markets, crime and supply reduction
•   Health-related responses to NPS
•   Polydrug use (including alcohol and misuse of medicines)
•   Internet market and Internet-based interventions

n   Data from third countries better integrated into the EMCDDA’s analyses 

21 / 64

2016–18 STRATEGY AND WORK PROGRAMMEI   Cross-cutting strategic action area A: 

information collection and management

I  The annual information collection exercise

To fulfil its mandate, the EMCDDA has developed an 
integrated and detailed reporting system, based on 
information collection and management tools and processes. 
A main component of this system is a national reporting 
package developed and implemented in close collaboration 
with the NFPs. This reporting package provides data delivered 
through a set of standard instruments via Fonte (the online 
data collection system of the agency).

First, Fonte will be maintained and will continue to act as the 
principal data collection instrument and data repository for 
the EMCDDA during 2016–18. Second, new tools for 
constructing templates will be used with the aim of improving 
data collection. Work will also progress on the cleaning of data 
in the database as well as on rationalising and harmonising 
variable names. This can involve further investment in 
correcting or developing parts of the underlying software to 
redress existing problems. Third, in the longer term, forward 
planning will be undertaken to assess the future of Fonte and 
its supporting software.

During the 2013–15 period, the reporting package was 
thoroughly reviewed and revised to strengthen its overall 
coherence and efficiency; the workbooks as a key reporting 
tool were introduced and piloted. During 2016–18 the 
workbooks will become stable, with a core part of their 
content being agreed and mostly constant. The dialogue and 
working processes between the NFPs and the EMCDDA will 
be in place. The nature and form of a web-based output, and a 
method of extracting a core part of the information provided 
by the NFP to this output will be developed. At a broader level, 
the coordination between the various types of input 
information ― quantitative, qualitative, rapid response, regular 
monitoring and ad hoc collection ― will be improved.

An important component of the EMCDDA’s information 
collection work is represented by the data collection mechanism 
that is carried out within the EU Early Warning System on new 
psychoactive substances (see Key area 2). The European 
Database on New Drugs (EDND) plays a critical role in this 
mechanism, by providing round-the-clock access for the EWS 
network to the latest information on new substances including 
chemistry, pharmacology, toxicity, law-enforcement seizures, 
epidemiology and legal status. Due to the huge increase in both 
the amount and types of data now being reported, the EDND 
needs significant investment. A core part of this work requires 
the development of a new infrastructure that will allow secure 

electronic submission of data through standard web-based 
structured forms as well as facilitate the central analysis of data 
and production of reports. Alongside being able to provide 
real-time information on a new drug (or a specific aspect of a 
new drug such as its detection in a particular ‘legal high’ product 
or reports of serious adverse events), the system should be able 
to provide an overview of the phenomenon as a whole to 
stakeholders. In addition, a new legal framework on NPS is 
expected to enter into force in 2016–18; the EDND will need to 
be aligned accordingly. The work started in 2013–15 will 
therefore continue in the new three-year programming period in 
order to ensure that the EDND can meet the needs of the EU 
both in the near future and in the longer term.

I   Management of the Reitox network of national focal 

points

The European information network on drugs and drug 
addiction (Reitox) represents the main data provider of the 
EMCDDA. This network of 30 NFPs allows the agency to 
collect and analyse information on drugs and drug addiction, 
and on the policies and solutions applied, bringing together 
experience and expertise from different sectors — health, 
justice, law enforcement — and from all EU countries, Norway 
and Turkey.

The main priorities for the EMCDDA in its work with the Reitox 
network during this three-year work programme will be to:

a)   Support the NFPs in the implementation of the new 

reporting package described above — this will be done by 
means of the Reitox Academy training programme (see Key 
area 1) and through ongoing technical support.

b)   Strengthen the institutional capacity of the NFPs in order 
to enhance their performance, both as core data providers 
for the EMCDDA and as reference points on drugs at 
national level. This will involve consolidation of the Reitox 
grant system in order to ensure quality deliverables. 
Furthermore, an accreditation system for NFPs will be 
developed and implemented; first steps towards this have 
already been taken in 2013–15; however, the work had to 
be postponed for 2016–18 in order to give priority to the 
revision of the national reporting package. Work will now be 
resumed, in line with the updated needs of the network, 
and with a view to enhancing their added value both at 
national and at EU level.

c)   Enhance knowledge exchange among the Reitox 

community and between Reitox and other partners, with a 
view to further developing synergies and improving overall 
communication. This will mainly be done by means of the 
annual meetings and the new online communication 
platform (forum) launched in 2015.

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2016–18 STRATEGY AND WORK PROGRAMMEStrategic objective: 

Ensure the validity, consistency and reliability of the EMCDDA reporting system

Actions

Key results

The annual information collection exercise

A.1.  Maintain and develop the computing tools to 
support the collection of data and information

A.2.  Maintain and develop the collection of data and 
information 

A.3.  Further develop and operationalise the EDND as 
the core monitoring tool of the EWS

n   Systems for data collection operational:

•   Fonte reporting system and data warehouse maintained and further developed
•   New tools to support workbook reporting system established and piloted (if appropriate 

and depending on available resources)

n   New national reporting system consolidated and operational:

•   Workbook working process set up, revised and adapted where required
•   Structured Questionnaires and Standard Tables reviewed and updated in line with the 

information demands of the agency

n   EDND further developed (in line with the requirements of the new legislative framework 
on NPS), maintained, updated, and accessible to its different categories of users (in line 
with the applicable policy on access levels)

Management of the Reitox network of national focal points

A.4.  Support the NFPs in the implementation of the 
new reporting package

A.5.  Strengthen the institutional capacity of the NFPs

A.6.  Enhance knowledge exchange among the Reitox 
community and between Reitox and other partners

n   Quality data provided to the EMCDDA
n   New quality feedback system put in place (see also Cross-cutting area B)
n   Reitox grant system fully operational: grant deliverables (financial and narrative reports) 

provided in line with the applicable rules and regulations

n   Reitox accreditation system adopted
n   Maximum value obtained from the bi-annual meetings of the heads of national focal 
points through an increasingly interactive and focused approach for these meetings

n   Effective communication facilitated by the use of the online Reitox forum

23 / 64

2016–18 STRATEGY AND WORK PROGRAMMEI   Cross-cutting strategic action area B: 

quality assurance

An ongoing commitment to improving the scientific quality of 
our work is a prerequisite for fulfilling our role as a centre of 
excellence for the collection, analysis and dissemination of 
drug-related information. This is a process rather than an 
event. The pursuit of quality, and establishing systems and 
processes to ensure quality, are prominent features of the 
2016–18 strategy and a range of initiatives will be undertaken.

The EMCDDA is an information-intensive organisation, which 
bases its core tasks on adding value to data through an 
information value chain. Data quality management at the 
EMCDDA follows this model. The approach encompasses the 
EMCDDA’s raw material (the data that is collected from 
different information sources) and the way it is collected, 
stored, analysed and transformed for use in different types of 
information products (paper-based publications, web pages, 
reports, articles, presentations, etc.) for the different target 
groups defined in the agency’s regulation.

An overall data quality framework will start to be implemented 
in 2016. By 2018, this framework should have been piloted, 
revised or updated where necessary, and included in the 
routine EMCDDA core data processes. The different elements 
of this framework will be developed under the relevant key and 
cross-cutting areas.

Two core aspects are particularly important for the data 
quality assurance cross-cutting area: ensuring that the new 
reporting tool system is fit for purpose; and developing and 
piloting indicators for the principles set out in the Internal 
statistical code of practice.

At a broader level, a range of initiatives will be further 
documented and assessed, such as the coordination of inputs 

from the variety of data sources the EMCDDA relies on for 
quality data and information. Guidance for network 
development activities and the organisation of key meetings 
(see also Key area 3) will also be refined and implemented. 
Collaboration with Members States and international partners 
(including training activities covered under Key area 1 and 
relevant activities under the cross-cutting areas ‘Data 
collection and management’ and ‘Cooperation with partners’) 
will focus, respectively, on consolidating the current reporting 
system and on complying with EU standards for data 
collection and monitoring.

The national quality report provided to NFPs as part of the 
mutual obligations set out in the Reitox grant agreement will 
be adapted, taking into account the reorganisation of the 
national reporting package and its implementation for the first 
time in 2015–16, in order to better address the needs and 
potential challenges for national reporting.

The EMCDDA’s integrated communication strategy privileges 
multidisciplinary work to ensure coordinated and efficient use 
of resources to produce pertinent and cost-effective results. A 
number of processes aimed at quality assurance in the 
definition and production of outputs support the overall 
framework set up in this area. This includes quality control in 
the content and production workflows for scientific 
publications and scientific content for the website.

Implementing the web governance strategy and quality 
assurance measures for online resources are important 
activities under this cross-cutting area.

As guardian of the EMCDDA’s scientific excellence, the 
Scientific Committee plays a key role in assuring and 
improving the quality of our work. Ongoing support will be 
provided by the agency in order to ensure that the 
Committee’s work and regular meetings are successful and 
efficient.

24 / 64

2016–18 STRATEGY AND WORK PROGRAMMEStrategic objective: 

Ensure that the EMCDDA’s tools, processes and outputs remain of high quality and fit for purpose through a process of continuous improvement and 
evaluation of efforts

Actions

B.1.  Implement quality assurance mechanisms for 
EMCDDA core processes and outputs 

B.2.  Coordinate, prepare and organise the meetings of 
the Scientific Committee, follow up on the conclusions 
and recommendations and provide support to their 
work 

B.3.  Implement and review data/information input 
quality assurance mechanisms 

B.4.  Implement and review data/information 
processing quality assurance mechanisms 

B.5.  Implement and review data/information output 
quality assurance mechanisms 

B.6.  Implement and review the overall data quality 
assurance framework 

Key results
n   Core activities are coordinated, resources are efficiently used, objectives are achieved 

and quality control of outputs is maintained

n   Further enhancement of the scientific quality of the EMCDDA’s work through the support 

and guidance provided by the Scientific Committee

n   Quality standards for workbooks in the framework of the new reporting system are 

available

n   Reitox NFPs receive structured and comprehensive feedback through the new national 
quality reports and are provided with appropriate training on the new reporting system

n   Data processing and analysis methods are documented
n   Data validation in interactive communication with NFP and national experts
n   Key meetings contribute to enhancing the quality of data/information analysis
n   Improved processes and tools for content production and publication
n   Production process for scientific publications, including scientific content for the website, 

is underpinned by a specific quality framework

n   Online resources comply with the defined web publishing quality standards
n   Handling of statistical data from input to output is guided by a specific quality framework
n   EMCDDA core processes are planned, implemented and revised according to an overall 

data quality assurance framework

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2016–18 STRATEGY AND WORK PROGRAMMEI   Cross-cutting strategic action area C: 

cooperation with partners

This area presents the activities carried out by the EMCDDA in 
order to strengthen its ongoing cooperation with key partners, 
as well as to develop new partnerships with a view to 
maximising opportunities for synergies and enhancing the 
value of these synergies. This area reflects one of the key 
business principles of the EMCDDA and has the ultimate aim 
of increasing the quality (relevance, timeliness) and 
broadening the scope of services provided to our European 
and national stakeholders (see Key area 1).

During its more than 20 years of existence, the EMCDDA has 
built strong, collaborative relations with an array of EU and 
global partners. As a European centre of excellence in drugs, 
priority has been given to strengthening the partnership with 
EU institutions, with other agencies working in the drugs field, 
and with national policymakers in the Member States. By 
further scaling up these partnerships, the EMCDDA’s proven 
technical and analytical capacity can deliver new 
opportunities for European policy and interventions.

The EMCDDA works closely with the European Parliament, the 
Council of the EU and the European Commission within the 
context of its mandate to provide technical support, 
information and analysis. In 2016–18 the agency will further 
develop its role of service provider to EU institutions, through 
contribution to EU policy documents, key drug-related events, 
other activities and initiatives, as requested and in line with 
the available resources (for details, see Key area 1).

An example of the added value of such partnerships is the 
better understanding of strategic issues and concrete 
recommendations for action that have emerged from the 
closer collaboration between the EMCDDA and Europol. In 
2016–18 existing synergies with other agencies will be 
strengthened and new ones pursued, delivering greater value 
from the work of all agencies involved and providing the 
European Commission with an invaluable holistic analysis of 
the complex and interlinked issues in this area. In line with the 
EMCDDA’s vision to contribute to a more secure and a 
healthier Europe, this will mainly concern other EU agencies 
working in the Justice and Home Affairs (JHA) area 
(particularly Europol, Eurojust and CEPOL) and in the health 
field (namely the Consumers, Health, Agriculture and Food 
Executive Agency — CHAFEA, EMA and ECDC). The objective 
of the cooperation is to use the existing expertise and know-
how of the agencies in order to provide operational and 
technical support to the Member States and the EU 
institutions, and deliver cross-agency and evidence-based 
input to the policy- and decision-making processes at EU level. 
Concrete areas for cooperation are identified within each of 

the relevant substantive areas of the work programme (namely 
KAs 1, 2 and 3).

Furthermore, in order to understand and forecast possible EU 
developments, it is necessary to put the European situation/
responses/markets in a broader perspective. Therefore, in 
2016–18 the EMCDDA will pay increased attention to 
monitoring international developments and trends, using a 
more integrated and focused approach.

Information and knowledge exchange with global partners 
(mainly the UN family: UNODC, WHO, Joint United Nations 
Programme on HIV/AIDS (UN AIDS), but also other partners, 
such as the Pompidou Group) will be enhanced in line with, 
and guided by, the strategy for international cooperation 
adopted by the EMCDDA’s Management Board in 2007. This 
will mainly involve providing data and sound analysis to the 
international reporting systems, and supporting the 
development of coherent information standards and data 
collection systems.

Furthermore, as a centre of excellence on drugs and a key 
partner worldwide, the EMCDDA will contribute its know-how 
to important European and international events, publications 
and scientific initiatives in the drugs field (e.g. participating as 
keynote speakers at conferences, producing joint publications 
with partners, attending expert meetings and technical/
advisory groups).

An essential part of the EMCDDA’s work in this area is its 
cooperation with countries representing a priority for the EU, 
namely the candidate and potential candidate countries (CC 
and PCC) and the countries from the European Neighbouring 
Policy (ENP). Transferring the agency’s knowledge to these 
countries and in particular assisting them in setting up their 
national drug observatories based on the successful EU 
model of the Reitox national focal points, is one of the tasks 
defined in the EMCDDA’s mandate. This task was also one of 
the eight priorities identified by the EC in its contribution to 
the informal external consultation exercise that has fed into 
this strategy and work programme.

This cooperation will promote the EU balanced approach and 
will ultimately contribute to:

n 

n 

 sound EU drug policies with third countries, including EU 
Enlargement and European Neighbouring programmes; 
and
 an enhanced capacity to address drug threats in EU 
priority countries.

Together with the expected outcomes presented in the other 
strategic action areas of this document, this will be a key 
dimension of the EMCDDA’s contribution to a more secure 
and a healthier Europe.

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2016–18 STRATEGY AND WORK PROGRAMMEBased on successful past experience, further input for EC 
regional programmes (e.g. Cooperation Programme on Drugs 
Policies between the EU and Latin America — COPOLAD, 
Central Asia Drug Action Programme — CADAP) will be 
provided on request and in line with the mandate, priorities 
and available resources. Data produced by these programmes 
will feed into the EMCDDA reporting and assessments on an 
ad hoc basis, according to their quality and relevance.

Also subject to resources, new partnerships will be pursued. 
These will include sound information providers (organisations 
and networks) that could support the EMCDDA in providing a 
more comprehensive analysis of the drug phenomenon. 
Participation in new networks and obtaining access to 
established complementary data sources in the agency’s 
developmental areas of work (crime, supply, medicines, 
alcohol) will be particularly beneficial. Further cooperation 
with scientific and civil society networks will also be pursued.

Strategic objective: 

Enhance and further increase the quality of the services provided to EU and Member State stakeholders through a better strategic understanding of 
the drug phenomenon, catalysed by strong partnership with key players at European and global level, and by knowledge transfer to EU priority third 
countries and regional programmes

Actions

C.1.  Maintain and strengthen information and 
knowledge exchange with partners at European and 
global level (see Key area 1)

C.2.  Support international monitoring and reporting 
systems and standards 

C.3.  Assist EU priority third countries (CC, PCC, ENP 
countries) in developing their drug monitoring 
systems, especially to establish and develop reporting 
capacity and national drug observatories 

Key results
n   Enhanced capacity for strategic analysis and threat assessment through better capturing 

the global and multidisciplinary aspects of the drug phenomenon

n   Quality input to partners’ work and follow-up to the implementation of relevant EU level 

policy/legal initiatives

n   Joint outputs
n   Contribution to key European and international drug events, expert meetings and 

technical/advisory groups 

EMCDDA’s contribution to:
n   Improved quality and comparability of international data
n   Coherent and universally accepted international standards
n   Enhanced capacity to address drug threats in EU priority third countries
n   Quality national data feed into EMCDDA’s analysis and reporting, contributing to sound 

EU policies with third countries

C.4.  Contribute EMCDDA’s know-how to EU drug-
related regional programmes (as requested and 
conditional upon resources) 

n   Support for programme design, implementation and evaluation and the adoption of 

robust and standardised methods for data collection and reporting

n   Data and information feeds into the strategic analysis and threat assessments (on an ad 

hoc basis)

C.5.  Pursue new partnerships 

n   Further synergies and more comprehensive drug analysis through accessing new 

networks and data sources 

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2016–18 STRATEGY AND WORK PROGRAMMEI  Corporate action area: governance

The EMCDDA’s overall strategic goal for the 2013–15 period 
was to attain good performance in carrying out the tasks set 
out in its regulation and in the achievement of its objectives. 
And the agency has indeed performed well. This is evidenced 
by the results tracked by our internal performance 
measurement system (which are presented in the EMCDDA’s 
activity reports), by the increased number of demands for 
technical support from our stakeholders and by the higher 
number, and level, of partnerships that we have set up over 
this time.

While achieving this, the agency has been confronted with 
new and diverse challenges, including resources cuts and 
unprecedented escalations in the drug situation. These 
challenges imposed a high burden on our workforce, but did 
not prevent us from accomplishing our core objectives ― 
which was possible because we continued to rationalise our 
processes, enhance our quality management and improve our 
overall organisational efficiency.

With the bar already so high, it would appear sufficient for us 
to secure the current processes and tools, in order to achieve 
the same level of service provision. However, our experience 
and our well-established monitoring systems have been 
warning us that over the next three years the EMCDDA is likely 
to be facing new and more demanding challenges; from the 
institutional perspective, the resources constraints are likely 
to continue; and the evolution of the drug phenomenon, in its 
turn, is becoming increasingly dynamic.

Furthermore, the EMCDDA will start its 2016–18 work 
programme with new leadership, both at the level of the 
Management Board, where a new Chair and Vice-Chair were 
elected at the end of 2015, and at the level of the agency’s 
management, with a new Director selected in 2015.

In this context, the focus for the Governance area will be to set 
the necessary guidance and direction for the agency to 
continue performing the tasks set out in its regulation and 
achieve its objectives, but in an even more efficient way. To 
this end, a strategic thinking exercise will be launched in 2016 
with a view to develop a long-term strategy (until 2025) for the 
EMCDDA.

At the operational level, the agency will focus on keeping its 
decision-making processes efficient, smooth and transparent. 
It will endeavour to improve its managerial capacity at 
middle-management level and take other necessary actions to 
keep the staff highly motivated and performing well.

Moreover, the commitment to efficiency will be stepped up. 
The process to rationalise work processes and tools initiated 
in 2013–15 will be continued with a view to maximising value 

from the investments made. Further efficiency gains will be 
pursued by creating new synergies for corporate services with 
our partners. This will build on the successful model already 
established with our neighbouring agency, the European 
Maritime Safety Agency (EMSA), and acknowledged as an 
example to follow by the European Commission. This will be 
continued and potentially developed to include other 
agencies, such as the European Fisheries Control Agency 
(EFCA), with which cooperation in the field of data protection 
started to be implemented in 2015. Finally, the EMCDDA will 
seek to find additional resources with a view to making full use 
of its potential to provide services to the EU and its Member 
States. All this must be done in line with the agency’s values 
and business principles.

One key element for scaling up corporate performance is the 
existence of a reliable planning, performance measurement 
and reporting system. In 2013–15, the EMCDDA boosted its 
capacity in this area and managed to set up a more 
performance-based organisational culture. This was 
supported by the implementation of some core components, 
such as key performance indicators (KPIs) and more efficient 
tools for planning, monitoring and reporting, including the 
development of a pilot version of a management information 
system (MIS). The progress achieved will be taken forward in 
2016–18 when work in this area will be focused around two 
main priorities: the improvement of the quality of the KPIs and 
of the monitoring and evaluation (M&E) plan which supports 
their measurement; and the development of the new MIS.

At overall planning level, the main priority will be the 
implementation of the single multi-annual programming 
document (SPD), pursuant to the entry into force, from 1 
January 2016, of article 32 of the EMCDDA Financial 
Regulation, which mirrors the similar provision of the 
Framework Financial Regulation for EU agencies. In line with 
this new institutional requirement, the EMCDDA, similarly to 
the other EU agencies, will implement one single programming 
document that will integrate the information previously 
provided by four different institutional programming 
documents, as follows: the Multi-Annual Strategy and Work 
Programme (WP); the annual WP; the Multi-annual Staff Policy 
Plan; and the Financial Statement. Furthermore, the deadline 
for submitting the new SPD will be 31 January of each year.

This will require considerable planning efforts for the agency, 
which will need to align within a very short period of time all 
related business processes and timelines. It will bring 
opportunities, too, of which the most important one will be the 
improved integration of the existing planning processes, 
namely operational, financial and human resources (HR) 
planning. In the medium- to long-term this is expected to 
enhance efficiency in the allocation of resources and 
ultimately overall organisational performance.

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2016–18 STRATEGY AND WORK PROGRAMMEStrategic objective: 

The EMCDDA functions as a modern, efficient and forward-looking EU administration, which is committed to providing high-quality services to its 
stakeholders and to EU citizens in general; in achieving this, the agency will be guided by good governance, steered by sound management and 
leadership and operated by a highly motivated and well-performing workforce.

Actions

GOV.1.  Support the EMCDDA’s Management Board in 
fulfilling its governance role 

GOV.2.  Implement efficient management and 
leadership of the EMCDDA 

Key results
n    Sound strategic decisions at the level of the Management Board, informed by effective 

preparatory work carried out by the EMCDDA 

n   EMCDDA long-term strategy (until 2025) developed, adopted by EMCDDA’s Management 

Board and implementation ongoing

n   Good performance in the implementation of the agency’s work programme (annual 

targets, as defined by the relevant KPI, reached)

n   Full compliance of EMCDDA operations with existing EU regulations and practices 
concerning data protection, internal control mechanisms and risk management

n   Further efficiency gains through improved internal processes and enhanced synergies 

with relevant partners 

GOV.3.  Further develop managerial capacity

n   Managerial performance increased through focused middle-management training and 

coaching (as appropriate)

GOV.4.  Support sound organisational performance 
management through state-of-the-art corporate 
planning, performance measurement and reporting

n   Proficient planning of EMCDDA activities, based on an integrated and efficient allocation 

of resources

n   State-of-the-art performance management system in place to inform sound decision-

making actions

n   General Report of Activities presented to key stakeholders and published in line with the 

recast regulation

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2016–18 STRATEGY AND WORK PROGRAMMEI   Corporate action area: administration 

and ICT

I  Administration

In 2016–18, the EMCDDA administration function will 
continue to make a significant contribution to the overall 
organisational performance of the agency. The purpose of this 
function is to ensure that the implementation of activities 
planned across the different areas of this multi-annual work 
programme is supported by the effective and efficient 
management of available resources. At the same time, the 
administration function has the critical role of providing the 
actors of the EMCDDA’s governance and executive 
management with appropriate information and instruments to 
support sound decisions.

At the heart of the EMCDDA’s activities are its human 
resources. The agency employs some 101 staff from 17 EU 
countries (figures at the end of 2014) with a wide-ranging and 
highly qualified professional background. Ensuring that 
appropriate processes and tools are in place to allow the 
efficient management of these resources is therefore a key 
objective and will encompass the following priorities:

a)   Ensure the smooth implementation of the relevant 
management processes (e.g. rules of employment, 
individual rights and obligations, recruitment and personnel 
planning, work-related entitlements).

b)   implement effective measures for professional 

development of the staff, with a focus on enhancing 
managerial skills at middle-management level (see also 
corporate area Governance).

c)   Streamline and optimise the HR management processes 
― depending on the resources available, this will involve 
maintaining and further developing appropriate ICT 
solutions.

As far as the management of the financial resources is 
concerned, the objective will be to ensure effective and timely 
planning, monitoring and execution of the EMCDDA budget, in 
line with the organisational priorities and the existing 
constraints, and pursuant to activity-based management and 

activity-based budgeting principles. A key target will be to 
maintain the excellent level of performance achieved in the 
budget execution in previous years, and improve it where still 
possible. Efficiency of all the related processes will be further 
pursued, namely by making increased use of digital solutions.

Safety at work is paramount for staff wellbeing, and hence 
organisational performance. In 2016–18, the agency will 
implement further measures to ensure a safe work 
environment. Furthermore, efficient use of the EMCDDA 
infrastructure will continue to be a priority, with special 
attention paid to controlling utilities-related costs over the 
next three years. In line with the policy adopted in 2014, this 
will be complemented by environmentally friendly measures, 
including promoting the use of renewable energy.

I  Information and communication technology (ICT)

ICT programmes and services are planned to support the 
agency’s core developmental objectives and to guarantee the 
smooth operation of all up-and-running services. In line with 
the overall EMCDDA strategic development framework for 
2016–18, the priorities in the ICT area will be to:

a)   Implement and support core business and corporate 

projects and processes: this component will support the 
core work processes of the agency, including data 
collection and analysis, development and dissemination of 
EMCDDA outputs, and corporate processes, including 
business planning and monitoring and other corporate 
support practices and tools.

b)   Provide a continuously stable environment that supports 

existing basic and advanced services: ongoing service and 
infrastructure management, which ensures business 
continuity and allows the EMCDDA to operate in a stable 
and protected ICT environment.

Applying best practice in management, including project 
management, and technology will be a transversal priority that 
will cut across the entire work carried out in this area.

In setting up annual priorities, work will be guided by the 
internal ICT Steering Committee, which fulfils the role of a 
governance mechanism for this important area.

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2016–18 STRATEGY AND WORK PROGRAMMEStrategic objective: 

Ensure sound allocation and management of financial and human resources and assets, and management of the ICT infrastructure and services, 
through further rationalising and automating of relevant processes and tools, enhancing efficiency and synergies, and developing the quality of 
services and support

Actions

Administration

Key results

ADM.1.  Human resources management 

n   Human resources are properly managed, in compliance with the rules set out in the staff 

ADM.2.  Financial and budget management and 
accounting

regulations and their implementing provisions, and in line with organisational needs

n   Managerial skills at senior and middle-management level further developed
n   Ongoing professional development of staff, through training and managerial support
n   Integrated and efficient electronic system for the management of staff (i.e. rights, 
entitlements, working time, etc.), though maintaining and improving the existing 
automated HR tools (HR database, e-recruitment) and developing new tools (working 
time management)

n   Sound management of the EMCDDA’s financial resources, in compliance with applicable 

rules and procedures

n   Internal processes (procurement, payments, missions, meetings, contracts management) 

optimised, including through enhanced use of automatic tools and workflows

n   EMCDDA Draft Budget (DB) and Preliminary Draft Budget (PDB) adopted in a timely 

manner, further to effective preparation and submission for adoption of the appropriate 
budget planning instruments

n   High level of budget execution (commitment and payment appropriations), in line with 

annual targets

n   Effective follow-up on the recommendations from external audits performed at the 

EMCDDA

ADM.3.  Infrastructure management and logistics

n   Safe and environmentally friendly workplace, which prevents work accidents, promotes 

use of renewable energy and avoids waste of resources 

Information and communication technology (ICT)

ICT.1.  Implement and support core business and 
corporate projects and processes

n   Infrastructure for the annual drugs data collection and analysis (Fonte, Data warehouse, 

EDND) functional and further developed, reflecting the developments around the national 
reporting system and the evolution of the drugs dataset

n   Web system functional and further developed (including online collaborative platforms)
n   Tools and processes developed to support efficient corporate planning and monitoring, 

and management of resources

ICT.2.  Provide a continuously stable environment that 
supports existing basic and advanced services

n   Business continuity plan implemented
n   Services implemented in line with the adopted ICT service catalogue

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2016–18 STRATEGY AND WORK PROGRAMMECHAPTER 2
2016 annual work programme

I  Executive summary

This is the first of the three annual work programmes required 
to implement the actions and achieve the key results set out in 
the EMCDDA’s new strategy and work programme for 2016–
18 (see Chapter 1 ― EMCDDA multi-annual programming 
2016–18). It is therefore designed to pave the way for the new 
developments and performance improvements that the 
agency has committed itself to over this period, while building 
on the accomplishments and lessons learnt from the previous 
triennial strategic cycle.

The financial resources required for this work programme will 
be provided by the EMCDDA budget allocation for 2016. The 
budget becomes definitive when adopted by the Management 
Board and after final adoption of the general budget of the 
European Union (EU), where the amount of the agency’s 
subsidy will be detailed. For planning purposes, the 2016 work 
programme has been drafted based on the parameters of the 
2016 EMCDDA preliminary draft budget adopted by the 
Management Board in December 2014. This version of the 
budget foresaw a subsidy of EUR 15 447 000 for the 
EMCDDA. However, the final amount of the EU subsidy 
granted to the EMCDDA by the EU budget authority is EUR 14 
794 000. The corresponding adjustments are made in the 
document, including the distribution of budget expenditure 
across the main areas of activities.

Moreover, due to the fact that this draft work programme is 
being prepared early in 2015, some revision of the activities 
may also be required prior to adoption in order to take into 
account changing circumstances. Furthermore, for the first 
time the EMCDDA is presenting an annual work programme 
together with its multi-annual strategy and work programme. 
The single document that integrates both programming parts 
was submitted to the Management Board for adoption in 
December 2015. Prior to that, at the Management Board 
meeting of July 2015 a discussion on the EMCDDA´s strategic 
priorities defined in the present consultation draft took place.

A complex prioritisation approach for the activities in the 
annual work programme was introduced in 2014. This 
approach has been refined for the 2016 work programme, in 
line with the current needs of the agency and taking into 
account the lessons learnt from the implementation of the 
2014 work programme, which was assessed in detail at the 
beginning of 2015. The improved prioritisation approach 
applied now maintains the three priority levels (level 1 — L1; 
level 2 — L2; level 3 — L3); however, their definitions have 
been streamlined as follows:

n 

n 

n 

 L1: These are ‘must do’ tasks that are time-bound and 
critical for the agency to fulfil its institutional obligations. 
These tasks cannot be scaled down, removed from the 
work programme or postponed for the next years without 
compromising the core performance of the agency.
 L2: These tasks are necessary to achieve the key 
commitments and fulfil the strategic objectives set out in 
the 2016–18 work programme. In the event of resources 
constraints generated by external or internal factors, 
however, these tasks could potentially be scaled down or 
delayed without affecting the ability of the agency to 
deliver its L1 results in the current work programme.
 L3: These are mostly developmental tasks, or new 
analyses, which are necessary for the agency to maintain 
an up-to date understanding of the European drug 
situation in the medium term; however, in the event of 
resources constraints, they could potentially be scaled 
down or postponed without a significant impact on the 
ability of the agency to deliver its L1 and L2 results in the 
current work programme. Some L3 tasks also refer to 
desirable and valuable activities such as joint initiatives 
with third parties; these appear viable within the current 
planning framework, but could be postponed or cancelled 
if resources prove to be insufficient.

The target for the EMCDDA is to achieve 100 % of the L1 
expected results, at least 80 % of the L2 expected results and 
a minimum of 50 % of the L3 results (see Annex II, key 
performance indicator GOV.2).

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I   Key strategic action area 1: 

communicating evidence and knowledge 
exchange

In 2016, the EMCDDA will publish two key comprehensive 
analyses, the annual European Drug Report (EDR) package 
and the second, triennial EU Drug Markets Report (EDMR), 
produced jointly with Europol.

The 2016 EDR will include the now established Trends and 
Developments report, together with its data and analysis 
companion ― the Statistical Bulletin ― and the country data.

The second edition of the EMCDDA–Europol EU Drug Markets 
Report will be published in the first half of 2016. In addition to 
describing the main consumer drug markets, this second 
edition will bring a better understanding of the global dynamic 
and role that drugs play in the bigger picture of organised 
crime, terrorism and European security. Estimates of market 
size will be provided for the first time. Concrete action points 
will also be suggested for the areas where the current EU 
response to the drug market and its consequent harms may 
be improved.

Furthermore, the first strategic analysis, the European Drug 
Responses Report, will be prepared in 2016 for publication in 
2017. This new strategic analysis will provide an overview of 
responses to drug use and drug-related problems across the 
EU and their effectiveness, together with recommendations 
for action.

In addition to the three major outputs described above, in 
2016, in line with policy requests, the EMCDDA may produce 
other smaller and focused strategic analyses based on 
emerging topics and geographical developments. Threat 
assessment reports, designed as rapid and focused products 
that provide immediate dissemination of critical information 
relevant to safeguarding public health and safety, will also be 
prepared. These will include (as appropriate): joint analyses 
(with Europol, ECDC), a trendspotting case study/report, and 
outputs related to the implementation of the applicable legal 
framework on NPS (see Key area 2).

In addition, the agency will produce thematic outputs on 
topical developments and emerging issues in all areas. 
Examples include: a comparative analysis of the treatment 
systems in the EU; a report on contextual, cultural and 
systemic determinants of drug prevention; a review of the 
misuse of benzodiazepines; and an overview of the different 
legal approaches in controlling NPS applied across the EU. 
Another output will be the EU Guidelines for the evaluation of 
national drug strategies, a manual that will support the design 
of evaluation exercises as requested by the EU action plan on 
drugs 2013–16.

The list of products also includes the joint publications with 
our partners. In addition to the joint EMCDDA–Europol EDMR 
presented above, in 2016 the EMCDDA will publish for the first 
time, together with ESPAD, the 2015 ESPAD report. The 
publication of this report is a milestone in the strategic 
collaboration between the EMCDDA and ESPAD.

Online updates on emerging issues will be published for all 
the substantive areas. Social and multi-media channels will be 
increasingly used to inform EMCDDA activities and results.

In terms of services, the EMCDDA’s main customers are its 
key stakeholders and partners: EU Member States, EU 
institutions (the European Parliament, the Council of the EU 
and the European Commission), relevant EU agencies and 
other international partners.

At EU level, in 2016 the agency will continue to support sound 
policymaking through its high-quality technical input. 
Concerning the European Commission, this will mainly involve 
providing support to DG HOME and DG SANTÉ in the field 
covered by the agency’s mandate. According to the 
expectations outlined by the European Commission in its 
contribution to the informal consultation exercise for the 
2016–18 strategy and work programme, highlights here 
include support for the mid-term assessment of the 2013–20 
EU drug strategy and the assessment of its first action plan 
(AP) for 2013–16, and support for the joint action funded 
under the Health Programme 2014–20 on improving HIV and 
co-infection prevention and treatment in priority regions and 
groups in the EU, with a specific focus on harm reduction 
measures.

Technical input will also be provided to the EU Presidencies 
for the new AP 2017–20 (as required). The EMCDDA will also 
continue to actively contribute to the work of the Council’s 
working groups, such as the Horizontal Drugs Group (HDG). 
Furthermore, the agency will fulfil the tasks assigned to it 
within the EU Agenda on Security 2015–20.

Another area where the EMCDDA has extensive expertise is in 
its relations with third countries, especially those that are a 
priority for the EU, namely the candidate and potential 
candidate countries and the neighbouring countries (see 
Cross-cutting area C). To this end, the agency will continue to 
provide its technical support to the EC as far as the 
relationship with these countries is concerned. This will 
include the implementation of two technical assistance 
projects funded by the European Commission through the 
Instrument for Pre-Accession Assistance (IPA 5) and the 
European Neighbourhood Policy Instrument (ENP) 
respectively (see the detailed annual implementation plans in 
Annex VII).

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2016 ANNUAL WORK PROGRAMMEEnhancing knowledge exchange will be an ongoing task in 
2016. Among others, it will involve the further dissemination of 
best practice, in line with needs and available resources, and 
the delivery of capacity building and training activities to our 
different audiences.

Identifying best practice and the effectiveness of 
interventions across the EU and beyond is a key area for the 
EMCDDA, the main dissemination channel of which is the 
Best practice portal (BPP). In 2016, existing modules will be 
updated regularly and new modules on environmental 
prevention and responses to NPS will be added.

The EU approach for drug monitoring and best practice 
dissemination will also continue to be effected through 
translating key EMCDDA methodological documents for non 

EU countries. Another effective means of disseminating best 
practice is through training activities. They will include Reitox 
Academies for professionals in EU Member States and third 
countries, training activities carried out in cooperation with 
partners, such as institutional partners (e.g. CEPOL) or 
academia. Furthermore, a European training module for 
prevention providers will be designed in collaboration with the 
European Drug Prevention Quality Standards (EDPQS) 
project, the UNODC and the Colombo Plan for Cooperative 
Economic and Social Development in Asia and the Pacific.

In 2016, the EMCDDA will continue to disseminate its findings 
via a range of direct communication channels. This includes 
attendance at key events, such as conferences, technical 
meetings, professional networking events, etc.

Strategic objective: 

Provide policy and practice with better evidence for decision-making and action, and serve as the European central reference point for drug-related 
information and analysis

Actions

1.1. Inform policy and practice by providing timely and 
high-quality data, strategic and situational analyses 
and threat assessments

Expected results
n   Comprehensive annual situation assessment of trends and developments in drug use in 

Europe:

•   2016 European Drug Report package published (L1)

n   State-of-the-art strategic analyses of established and emerging challenges:

•   Second edition of the EU Drug Markets Report (EDMR) published (L1)
•   First edition of the European Drug Responses Report (EDRR) — first draft (for 

publication in late 2017) (L1)

•   Focused strategic analyses (short and policy-oriented, topics defined by need) (L2)

n   Threat assessment reports (event generated):

•   EMCDDA–Europol Joint Report(s) on NPS (L1)
•   Risk Assessment Report(s) on NPS (L1)
•   Joint threat assessments (e.g. with Europol, ECDC) (L2)
•   Trendspotting case study (L2)

n   Topic overviews on important established or emerging issues:

•   Prevention systems (L2)
•   Misuse of benzodiazepines within context of polydrug use (L2)
•   Legal approaches to controlling drugged driving, and their enforcement techniques (L2)
•   National treatment systems in Europe (comparative analysis) (L3)
•   Health responses to NPS (L3)

n   Online EU Guidelines for the evaluation of national drug strategies (L2)

n   Joint EMCDDA–Europol Annual Report on the implementation of Council Decision 

2005/387/JHA (or applicable legal framework) on NPS (L1)

n   Other joint publications:

•   ESPAD 2015 Report, including interactive web resources (L1)
•   Joint EMCDDA–ECDC guidance (update on infectious diseases among people who 

inject drugs — if triggered and in line with available resources) (L3)

n   Scientific articles in high impact journals (L2)

n   On the web: online top-level overviews and updates on emerging issues (all areas) (L2)

n   Country Overviews for CC, PCC and ENP partner countries (L2)

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2016 ANNUAL WORK PROGRAMMEActions

1.2.  Support services for relevant European and 
national level policy and technical activities and 
meetings (knowledge exchange, institutional support, 
technical backstopping) (on request and resource 
dependent)

1.3.  Identify, promote and monitor best practice

1.4.  Support for practice in the Member States and 
third countries that are a priority for the EU (based on 
needs and available resources)

1.5.  Contribute to a better understanding of the 
European drug problem through engagement with 
policymakers, scientists, practitioners and civil society 

Expected results
n   Support for EU institutions-related activities, including:

•   Assessment of the 2013–16 EU drug AP; the mid-term assessment of the 2013–20 EU 
drug strategy; and the preparation of the 2017–20 AP (technical support to the NL and 
SK Presidencies) (L1)

•   European Agenda on Security 2015–20 (L1)
•   Participation at key drug-related events (L2)
•   Activities with third countries (briefings, annual progress reports) (L2)
•   Other policy initiatives relevant to EMCDDA activities (e.g. infectious diseases including 
HIV/AIDS prevention, and regional reporting on HIV/AIDS (Dublin reporting); EU alcohol 
strategy, Joint Declaration on enhancing cooperation on drugs and renewing the 
commitments of the EU–Western Balkans Action Plan on Drugs 2009–13, etc.) (L2)

•   Support for EU-funded research (in areas relevant to the EMCDDA’s mandate), 

including input to the Annual Dialogue on Research of the HDG and the dissemination 
of findings (L2)

•   Data exchange and technical cooperation with the UN System (L2)

n   Support for EU Member States, including information requests and technical input to 

national initiatives (L2)

n   Best practice portal kept up to date and usability enhanced (L1)
n   New modules of evidence on: environmental prevention; responses to NPS (L2)
n   Implementation of minimum quality standards in drugs demand reduction monitored (L2) 

(upon request)

n   Systematic review of global approaches to prevention interventions in the community 
(including law enforcement, health services providers and community actors) (L2)

n   Follow-up of the first quality feedback on the workbooks provided in 2015 and preparation 

of the second set of workbooks for implementation (L1)

n   National academies and workshops (L2)
n   Academies and workshops for third countries within the framework of the technical 

assistance projects (L2)

n   European training module for prevention providers developed (in cooperation with 

EDPQS, UNODC and Colombo Plan) (L3)

n   Input to activities with partners (e.g. with CEPOL) (L3)

n   Key events covered by EMCDDA presence (L2)
n   Increased use of social and multi-media communication channels for immediacy and 

wider reach (as compared to 2015) (L2)

n   Stakeholder engagement strategy — action plan for 2016 executed (L2)
n   Efficient public enquiry service (according to European Ombudsman guidelines) (L2)
n   Tailored information provided to visitors to the EMCDDA (L3)

1.6.  Communicate successfully with media

n   Well-paced news products generating high-quality news coverage of the EMCDDA’s 

activities (L2)

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2016 ANNUAL WORK PROGRAMMEI   Key strategic action area 2: early warning 

and threat assessment

I   Responding to NPS ― EU Early Warning System and 

risk assessment

In 2016, the EMCDDA, together with its partners in the 
Member States (the Reitox network of the EWS 
correspondents), Europol and the EMA, will continue to ensure 
continuous and robust implementation of the EWS as 
provided by Council Decision 2005/387/JHA or by the new 
legislative framework that is expected to replace it. Key 
outputs of the system will remain rapid notifications and 
public health alerts on NPS, the exchange of forensic and 
toxicological analytical data, longer-term monitoring and 
analysis of health and social risks, monitoring and analysis of 
illicit and ‘legal highs’ markets and a report of legal 
developments.

Depending on the entry into force of the new legal framework, 
the reporting and monitoring tools and instruments necessary 
for implementing the information exchange mechanism 
— including the Reporting Forms, the EWS progress and final 
reports, the Joint Report questionnaires — will need to be 
automated, interlinked and aligned. This will involve close 
cooperation with Europol. As a result of having structured data 
available, new trends analyses will be undertaken to inform 
the community and, in particular, international organisations. 
The adaptation to the new legislative instrument will also 
entail the adaptation of the risk assessment operating 
guidelines.

A key task will be to have an implemented and fully operational 
EMCDDA European Database on New Drugs (EDND), which is 
the main working tool of the EWS (see Cross-cutting area A). 
In 2016, the new framework to strengthen the toxicovigilance 
component of the EWS will be piloted. This allows both public 
health alerts and non-urgent information to be issued to the 
Early Warning System network, and also specific substances 
to be placed under intensive monitoring. In some cases this 
may also lead to formal action through a Joint Report and, 
where necessary, a risk assessment. In order for the EMCDDA 
to meet the increased needs and demands arising from the 
phenomenon, both at national and EU level, the identification, 
reporting and monitoring of serious adverse events will 
continue to be strengthened. This also entails full 
implementation of the Reporting Forms on suspected adverse 
events.

In addition, during 2016 the EMCDDA will develop and deploy 
open source information (OSI) monitoring and analysis 
systems relevant for proactive early detection of new trends 
and threats of public health relevance, including serious 

adverse events reported through the media, drug user forums, 
social media, and the scientific and medical literature.

Where requested, a risk assessment on a NPS will be carried 
out under the auspices of the EMCDDA’s Scientific 
Committee. This activity has always engendered resource 
implications and risks associated with the lack of such 
resources. This concern is becoming more relevant than ever 
in the context of the growing amount of information and 
evidence gathered not only for the increased number of 
substances monitored, but also for the increased number of 
reported health harms.

Further activities will be undertaken to improve understanding 
and visibility of EU actions in the field of new psychoactive 
substances. The web pages related to the EMCDDA’s Action 
on new drugs will be revamped in order to provide customised 
information to the growing number of diverse stakeholders 
and the general public.

Provisions of Article 28c of the pharmacovigilance legislation 
will continue to be implemented in close cooperation with the 
EMA, and the information exchange and cooperation between 
the two agencies will be further strengthened.

In line with the Operational Action Plan (OAP) on synthetic 
drugs for 2014–15 of the COSI policy cycle on organised 
crime 2014–17, strengthening the coordination between the 
EWS and the forensic and toxicological laboratory networks 
will be further pursued in 2016, in order to enhance the 
sharing of information on NPS. Moreover, where possible, the 
active participation of the EMCDDA in EU-funded projects on 
NPS will ensure timely access to the results obtained by those 
projects.

The mainstreaming of NPS work within the overall reporting 
and analysis framework of the EMCDDA will continue in 2016. 
A priority here will be to follow up on epidemiological 
information on the use of NPS and developments in the 
responses area, including legal responses (see Key area 3). 
Some ongoing technical work will also be required in order to 
adjust current reporting tools to the demands of reporting on 
NPS topics.

The activities linked to the proposed new legislation that will 
replace the Council Decision 2005/387/JHA are subject to the 
publication/adoption of the proposed new legislative 
framework. Furthermore, some activities are conditional to the 
EMCDDA’s legal obligations under the Council Decision, for 
example requirements to undertake Joint Reports and 
requests for risk assessments, the number of which cannot be 
anticipated.

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2016 ANNUAL WORK PROGRAMMEI  Emerging trends and threats

In 2016, the EMCDDA’s system for monitoring and 
understanding new and emerging trends in drug use and drug 
markets will be further developed. The trendspotter studies 
are one example of the EMCDDA’s threat assessment tools 
and in 2016 the methodology will be systematised building on 
past experiences. Equally important are the EMCDDA’s joint 
risk assessments on emerging threats, including the close 
collaboration between the agency, Europol and ECDC on the 
monitoring of all incoming information on the evolution and 
epidemiology of drug-related infectious diseases and 
outbreaks.

In 2016 the EMCDDA will put forward key actions for 
integrating new methods and tools within existing monitoring 
routines. New substances and new patterns will be 
systematically reviewed with the purpose of a rapid and 

efficient inclusion in routine monitoring tools once their 
significance is established. In 2016 the EMCDDA will continue 
the successful collaboration with the SCORE group (Sewage 
biomarker analysis for community health assessment) with 
the objective of strengthening the existing epidemiological 
toolkit by integrating wastewater analysis into the routine 
monitoring tools.

Equally important is the exploration of new data sources for 
timely identification and reporting on emerging threats. One 
example here is the development of systematic tools for 
monitoring online drug markets and drug user websites. 
Through a combination of structured monitoring and analysis 
of the Internet, the EMCDDA will provide a better 
understanding of the nature and scale of the online market 
and of new developments, both at consumer and at supply 
level, and will provide early identification of new trends and 
threats.

Strategic objective: 

Support rapid EU response to new threats by providing EU institutions and Member States with prompt and scientifically sound information for 
action on new psychoactive substances and emerging drug trends

Actions

Expected results

Responding to NPS — EU EWS and risk assessment

2.1.  Implement the provisions of the legislative 
framework on EWS and risk assessment in place in 
2016

2.2.  Implement the provisions of Article 28c of the EU 
pharmacovigilance (PhV) legislation 

2.3.  Support capacity development in the forensic 
science and toxicology area

2.4.  Support the use of EU data and analysis on NPS 
in international-level activities (in line with reporting 
obligations and existing MoUs), and sustain third 
countries in building national EWS

n   Operational EWS and information exchange mechanism:

•   New psychoactive substances appearing on the EU market are detected, notified in a 
timely manner, systematically monitored, and action is taken as necessary (e.g. public 
health alerts are issued) (L1)

•   Joint Reports are prepared as appropriate (L1)
•   Structured data is collected periodically and NPS trends are identified and analysed 

(L1)

•   EWS network is operational and supported by the EMCDDA (L1)

n   EU level risk assessment procedure is implemented, as required: scientific evidence on 
the health and social risks posed by the use of NPS provided to the Council and the 
Commission, on the basis of which further action on measures to control these 
substances at EU level may be taken (L1)

n   Guidelines, procedures, processes and tools adapted to the new legislative framework 

and implemented (as required) (L1)

n   Strengthened capacity to identify emerging toxicological problems associated with the 

use of NPS (toxicovigilance) (L2)

n   Strengthened proactive approach to the early detection and response to emerging 

threats through the use of OSI monitoring and analysis (L2)

n   Improved knowledge of the NPS market (L2)

n   Effective information exchange with EMA and the EU PhV system (L1) 

n   Increased capacity and information sharing on forensic science data (L2)

n   Data exchange with international bodies (e.g. UNODC, WHO) to support prioritisation, 

scheduling discussions and information exchange activities (L3)

n   Support to third countries (mainly CC and PCC) to design and operate an EWS at national 

level (L3)

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2016 ANNUAL WORK PROGRAMMEActions

Emerging trends and threats

2.5.  Timely identification of emerging threats through 
the use of rapid information assessment methods

2.6.  Develop new methods and tools for timely 
identification and reporting

2.7.  Further develop and systematise existing timely 
and sensitive identification methods and tools 

Expected results

n   Emerging trends and threats captured and reported in a timely manner:

•   Trendspotting methodology systematised (L2)
•   Rapid and in-depth assessment of new threats as required (Trendspotter study) (L2)
•   Joint risk assessments on emerging threats (as required; e.g. with ECDC, Europol) (L2)
•   Expert network platform for rapid information collection and exchange created (L3) 

n   Development of OSI monitoring and analysis systems for monitoring online markets and 

drug user forums (L2)

n   Online key informants network developed and maintained (L3)
n   New online information collection methods for identification and monitoring of new 

trends and developments explored (expert meeting) (L3)

n   Findings from the 2015 wastewater monitoring campaign published in collaboration with 

the SCORE group (L2) 

2.8.  Sensitise routine methods and tools 

n   Annual review of new drugs/new patterns of use behaviours/new analytical methods and 

implications for monitoring tools (L2)

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2016 ANNUAL WORK PROGRAMMEI   Key strategic action area 3: situation, 

responses and trend analysis

Ongoing monitoring and analytical work will be carried out 
throughout the year and this will feed into the key outputs 
produced by the agency in 2016 (presented under Key area 1).

The EMCDDA has a distinctive, holistic and multidisciplinary 
approach to monitoring the drug phenomenon. This includes 
the monitoring of drug demand (use in its different patterns), 
the harms associated with use, supply and availability 
aspects, and also monitoring of the measures taken to 
decrease demand and associated harms and to control drug 
supply.

The monitoring, analysis and interpretation of these factors in 
an integrated way is a challenging but necessary task that will 
continue to be accomplished by the EMCDDA, as the centre of 
excellence for drugs in Europe.

As before, this will be supported by the EMCDDA’s networks 
of experts who contribute their national expertise to the 
European drug information and analysis system of the agency. 
The interaction with these networks is ongoing, through 
regular contacts and technical support, and culminates in 
annual expert meetings that are organised by the agency at its 
premises in Lisbon. Defined quality criteria will be observed 
(see Cross-cutting area B) to ensure maximum value is 
obtained from these meetings.

In the area of responses, further steps will be made towards 
improving our understanding of the coverage of treatment 
services across the EU. As part of the treatment data 
collection strategy, this will include an analysis of low-
threshold and specialised treatment agencies and a review of 
the European Facility Survey Questionnaire (EFSQ) piloted in 
2015 (depending on resources). Also in line with resources, a 
model survey of prison health facilities will be piloted.

The Internet provides a convenient means for obtaining 
services. Following the publication in 2015 of a technical 
report on the evidence of Internet-based interventions, this 
rapidly developing area will be further explored with the 
support of a methodological framework for monitoring such 
interventions, which will be developed in 2016.

Another rapidly expanding area that requires the development 
of a systematic monitoring approach is new psychoactive 
substances. In 2016, this work will be taken forward with the 
definition of a methodological framework to monitor legal and 
health responses to NPS.

In the area of drug supply, a review of the data on drug 
seizures and on drug-law offences (in close collaboration with 
EC Eurostat) that were collected through the pilot exercises 
implemented in 2015 will be carried out, which will allow these 
instruments to be fine-tuned for full implementation in 2016.

Furthermore, the developmental work on the reporting 
instruments for drug prices and for drug purity and contents 
will be finalised, and the draft instruments will be subject to 
consultation with and endorsement by the Reference Group 
and subsequent adoption by the Reitox national focal points. 
Data collected by Europol on drug production facilities 
(synthetic drugs production sites, cannabis cultivation and 
cocaine secondary extraction labs) will be analysed and new 
instruments for monitoring drug crime will also be 
conceptualised.

A review of the functions and activities of the EMCDDA 
Reference Group on drug supply issues will be carried out and 
the fourth annual meeting will be organised.

Ongoing monitoring of drug laws will be carried out in 2016 
with a focus on emerging issues (e.g. cannabis, NPS, etc.). A 
review describing the different legal approaches to controlling 
drugged driving, and their enforcement techniques, will be 
completed and published in 2016 (see Key area 1).

The annual meeting of the Legal Correspondents will be 
organised, as a means to further improve the sharing of 
knowledge and expertise among Member States.

With regard to monitoring the misuse of medicines, the 
conceptual framework finalised in 2015 will be discussed with 
the NFPs with a view to building consensus for progressively 
integrating this framework into national reporting within the 
context provided by the EMCDDA regulation and mandate for 
this area. This will depend, however, on the availability and the 
interest of the countries. A first technical meeting will take 
place in 2016 with selected NFPs, followed by a discussion 
with all the heads of focal points during their autumn meeting. 
A review of benzodiazepines will also be prepared and work on 
a case study will commence.

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2016 ANNUAL WORK PROGRAMMEStrategic objective: 

Provide a holistic picture of the drug phenomenon, through an integrated and coherent core monitoring system

Actions

Expected results

3.1.  State-of-the-art monitoring necessary for 
European level assessment of the drug situation (core 
trends and developments in use, consequences and 
responses)

n   Quality monitoring and analytical work to inform key outputs (see Key area 1) (L1)
n   Consolidated European Model Questionnaire (EMQ), including new modules, where 

required (e.g. NPS) (L2)

n   Drug-related deaths (DRD) review (comparative analyses and risk assessment in selected 

3.2.  Develop new tools and processes for monitoring 
drug demand and supply: situation and responses/
interventions (developmental areas)

countries) (L2)

n   Reporting instruments for drug seizures and drug-law offences reviewed and fine-tuned 

(L2)

n   Knowledge and expertise exchanged within the EMCDDA expert networks (L2)
n   Functions and activities of the EMCDDA Reference Group on Drug Supply reviewed to 

ensure they remain fit for purpose (L2)

n   ESPAD coordination necessary for the 2016 joint programme (L2)
n   European Facility Survey Questionnaire (EFSQ) reviewed to reflect results of the 2015 

pilot exercise (L3)

n   Prison surveys (prisoner and health facilities) piloted (conditional upon resources) (L3)
n   Results from new GPS carried out in CC, PCC and ENP countries available (L3)

n   Revised reporting instruments on drug prices and on drug purity and contents completed 

and endorsed (L2)

n   Methodological framework for monitoring responses to new drugs conceptualised and 

implemented (L3)

n   Analysis of coverage provided by national drug treatment systems, with a focus on 

low-threshold and specialised treatment agencies (L3)

n   New instruments for monitoring drug crime area conceptualised (conditional upon 

resources) (L3)

n   Pilot project on market size estimation carried out with five countries (L3)
n   Consensus on the framework for monitoring misuse of medicines reached with the NFPs 

(L3)

n   Methodological framework for monitoring Internet-based interventions developed (L3)

40 / 64

2016 ANNUAL WORK PROGRAMMEI   Cross-cutting strategic action area A: 

information collection and management

I  The annual information collection exercise

A main component of the EMCDDA’s reporting system is the 
national reporting package developed and implemented in 
close collaboration with the NFPs. This reporting package 
provides data delivered through a set of standard instruments 
via Fonte (the online data collection system of the agency).

In 2016, Fonte will continue to act as the principal data 
collection instrument and data repository for the EMCDDA, but 
efforts will be made to improve information collection and 
management via a number of initiatives. First, new tools for 
Fonte will be available in 2016 and these will be used to 
improve the format of the templates delivered to the NFPs, 
allowing sound principles of questionnaire design to be 
implemented. The new tools will also be used to start the 
process of rationalising variable names and improving the 
harmonisation of variable names across the data collections. 
Work will also progress on the cleaning of data in the database.

The reporting package was thoroughly revised to strengthen 
its overall coherence and efficiency; the workbooks as key 
reporting tool were introduced and piloted in 2015. The year 
2016 will be the first in which the NFPs submit all workbooks, 
and sound working processes between the NFPs and the 

EMCDDA will be established around the workbook form. The 
workbooks and related processes will be reviewed at the end 
of 2016 and adapted as required. In 2016, work will 
commence on establishing the nature and form of a web-
based output derived from the workbooks input. During the 
year, the prototypes will be developed and piloted.

Another key task in this area will be to further develop and 
maintain a fully operational EMCDDA European Database on 
New Drugs (EDND), which is the main working tool of the EU 
EWS (see Key area 2). The technological redevelopment of the 
EDND will be undertaken in different phases in order to 
include advanced technical functionalities and also to allow 
secure electronic submission of information by relevant expert 
users at national level.

I   Management of the Reitox network of national focal 

points

The activities in 2016 will follow the main priorities for the 
EMCDDA in its work with the Reitox network that were set up 
in the three-year work programme, namely to: a) support the 
NFPs in the implementation of the new reporting package; b) 
strengthen the institutional capacity of the NFPs, in order to 
enhance their performance; and c) enhance knowledge 
exchange among the Reitox community and between Reitox 
and other partners, with a view to further developing synergies 
and improving overall communication.

Strategic objective: 

Ensure the validity, consistency and reliability of the EMCDDA reporting system

Actions

Expected results

The annual information collection exercise

A.1.  Maintain and develop the computing tools to 
support the collection of data and information

A.2.  Maintain and develop the collection of data and 
information 

n   Systems for data collection operational:

•   Fonte reporting system and data warehouse maintained and further developed, 

including work on cleaning of the data and new tools for constructing templates (L1)
•   New tools to support workbook reporting system piloted (if appropriate and depending 

on available resources) (L2)

•   Prototypes piloted for deriving web-based output from the workbook input (L2)

n   New national reporting system consolidated and operational:

•   2015 workbook data collection evaluated and adapted for 2016 submission (L1)
•   Workbook working process set up and formalised, including the dialogue with NFPs (L1)
•   Structured Questionnaire on prevention reviewed (L2)

A.3.  Further develop and operationalise the EDND, as 
the core monitoring tool of the EWS

n   Maintenance and regular update (L1)
n   Initiation of any necessary revision to ensure functionality is in line with the requirements 

of the new legislative framework on NPS (L1)

n   EDND ready for automatic/electronic data submission including the EWS progress and 

final reports (L2)

n   Accessibility options for different categories of users (in line with the applicable policy for 

access levels) (L2)

Management of the Reitox network of national focal points

A.4.  Support the NFPs in the implementation of the 
new reporting package

n   Data provided to the EMCDDA’s 2016 reporting exercise (L1)
n   NFPs provided with technical assistance (e.g. Reitox Academies, see Key area 1) and 

institutional support (where required) (L2)

A.5.  Strengthen the institutional capacity of the NFPs

n   2016 grant deliverables (financial and narrative reports) provided in line with the 

applicable rules and regulations (L2)

n   Reitox accreditation system developed (phase one, for piloting in 2017) (L3)

A.6.  Enhance knowledge exchange among the Reitox 
community and between Reitox and other partners

n   Bi-annual meetings of the heads of NFPs organised as platforms for knowledge 

exchange, with conclusions disseminated within four weeks (L1)

n   Online Reitox forum up and running (L2)

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2016 ANNUAL WORK PROGRAMMEI   Cross-cutting strategic action area B: 

quality assurance

In 2016, the EMCDDA will continue to follow up on ways to 
improve the high quality of our analysis and outputs across all 
key areas of work. Efforts will focus on the quality aspects of 
the new reporting system. Feedback on the 2015 pilot will be 
prepared and provided to national focal points (see also 
cross-cutting area ‘Information collection and management’)

Work on the overall data quality framework (to be agreed in 
2015) will start being implemented in 2016 and indicators for 
the Internal statistics code of practice will be drafted. The 
documentation around the data in the Statistical Bulletin will 
be improved and key meetings will be organised in line with 
the EMCDDA quality standards to help maximise the 
analytical value of expert networks. Ongoing cooperation with 
non-EU countries will continue to focus on working towards 
fuller compliance with EU standards for data collection and 
monitoring.

In 2016, further measures for quality control in content 
production will be introduced. This concerns in particular the 
generation of online content using the new content 
management tool and its integrated approval processes. Work 
in this area is underpinned by the EMCDDA’s web governance 
and content strategy.

The EMCDDA Scientific Committee will complete the final year 
of its current mandate (2014–16) and the relevant procedures 
for extending its mandate or launching a new call for the 
2017–19 period will need to be implemented. The members of 
the Scientific Committee will adopt a formal opinion on the 
EMCDDA’s work programme for 2017 and continue to provide 
their input on the agency’s main projects and scientific 
publications, in line with the guiding principles for the review 
of selected EMCDDA publications, which will be adopted in 
2015. They will also continue to engage actively in the 
EMCDDA scientific paper award and contribute to the 
Horizontal Drugs Group’s annual dialogue on research.

Strategic objective: 

Ensure that the EMCDDA’s tools, processes and outputs remain of high quality and fit for purpose through a process of continuous improvement and 
evaluation of efforts

Actions

Expected results

B.1.  Implement quality assurance mechanisms for 
EMCDDA core processes and outputs 

B.2.  Coordinate, prepare and organise the meetings of 
the Scientific Committee, follow up on the conclusions 
and recommendations and provide support to their 
work 

B.3.  Implement and review data/information input 
quality assurance mechanisms 

n   Core activities are coordinated, resources are efficiently used, objectives are achieved 

and quality control of outputs is maintained (L1)

n   Further enhancement of the scientific quality of the EMCDDA’s work through the 

provision of support and guidance by the Scientific Committee (L1)

n   Quality standards for workbooks in the framework of the new reporting system are 

available (L2)

n   Reitox NFPs receive structured feedback and appropriate training/support on the new 

reporting tools (L2)

B.4.  Implement and review data/information 
processing quality assurance mechanisms 

n   Data processing and analysis methods are documented (L2)
n   Key meetings contribute to enhancing the quality of data/information analysis, in 

B.5.  Implement and review data/information output 
quality assurance mechanisms 

B.6.  Implement and review the overall data quality 
assurance framework 

particular through cross-indicator and cross-area analysis (L2)

n   Improved processes and tools for content production and publication (L2)

n   Production process for scientific publications, including scientific content for the website, 

are underpinned by a specific quality framework (L2)

n   Online resources comply with the defined web publishing quality standards (focused on 

accessibility of information and search engine optimisation) (L2)

n   Handling of statistical data from input to output is guided by a specific quality framework 

(L2)

n   EMCDDA core processes are planned, implemented and revised according to an overall 

data quality assurance framework (L2)

42 / 64

2016 ANNUAL WORK PROGRAMMEI   Cross-cutting strategic action area C: 

cooperation with partners

Cross-agency and evidence-based input to the policy and 
decision-making processes at EU level will also be provided 
within the context of the JHA agencies’ network.

In line with its strategic priorities, in 2016 the EMCDDA will 
enhance information and knowledge exchange with its 
European and global partners. Priority will be given to the 
activities concerning the provision of technical support to EU 
institutions and the Member States (for details, see Key area 1).

Other EU agencies, in particular the ones from the Justice and 
Home Affairs (JHA) cluster, ECDC and EMA, are key partners. 
In 2016, the successful collaboration developed in previous 
years will be continued and further developed. This will result 
in joint outputs, knowledge exchange through technical 
meetings and training initiatives and input to other joint 
activities. The EMCDDA will also continue to contribute 
actively to the discussion on issues of common interest to the 
agencies, within the framework of the EU agencies’ network. 

Regarding our global partners, cooperation will be 
strengthened with international organisations, in particular 
with the UN family (UNODC, WHO, UNAIDS), the Inter-
American Drug Abuse Control Commission (CICAD) and the 
Pompidou Group, with a view to maximising synergies and 
avoiding duplication of effort. Cooperation with the World 
Customs Organization (WCO) and Interpol will also be 
pursued in the area of drug supply and supply reduction.

In terms of cooperation with third countries, the priority will be 
the effective implementation of the IPA 5 technical assistance 
project planned to run between 2015 and 2017, and the 
successful completion of the ENP technical assistance 
project, which started in 2014. Detailed implementation plans 
for the two projects are presented in Annex VII.

Strategic objective: 

Enhance and further increase the quality of the services provided to EU and Member State stakeholders, through a better strategic understanding of 
the drug phenomenon, catalysed by strong partnership with key players at European and global level, and by knowledge transfer to EU priority third 
countries and regional programmes

Actions

Expected results

C.1.  Maintain and strengthen information and 
knowledge exchange with partners at European and 
global level (see Key area 1)

n   Quality input to EU and global partners work (L2)
n   Joint outputs produced (L2)
n   Contribution to key European and international drug events, expert meetings and 

technical/advisory groups (L2)

C.2.  Support international monitoring and reporting 
systems and standards 

EMCDDA’s contribution:
n   Contribution with EMCDDA data sets or expertise to other relevant regional/ global 

reporting activities (L2)

n   Validation of the European data sets for international partners (L3)

C.3.  Assist EU priority countries (CC, PCC, ENP 
countries) in developing their drug monitoring 
systems, especially for the establishment and 
development of national drug observatories 

C.4.  Contribute the EMCDDA’s know-how to EU 
drug-related regional programmes (as requested and 
conditional upon resources) 

n   IPA 5 project implemented in line with the defined implementation plan and the 

applicable KPI (KPI C.2) (L2)

n   ENP project implemented in line with the defined implementation plan and the applicable 

KPI (KPI C.3) (L2)

n   EMCDDA’s know-how supports programme design, implementation and evaluation (L3)
n   Contribution to Technical Assistance and Information Exchange (TAIEX) drug-related 

training activities (L3)

C.5.  Pursue new partnerships 

n   Further synergies and more comprehensive drug analysis through accessing new 

networks and data sources (L3)

43 / 64

2016 ANNUAL WORK PROGRAMMEI  Corporate action area: governance

In line with the elements described in detail in the strategic 
overview provided under Chapter 1, the priorities for this area 
in 2016 will be as follows: a) to create the conditions for a 
smooth and quick EMCDDA leadership transition both at the 
level of the Management Board (new Chair and Vice-Chair) 
and Director; b) to develop a new EMCDDA long-term strategy, 
until 2025; c) to further streamline and automate EMCDDA 

processes and tools; d) to ensure efficient implementation of 
the new single multi-annual programming document; e) to 
pursue the development of the performance management 
system, ensuring that it is fully operational and consistent; 
f) to secure and develop synergies with other EU bodies and 
agencies and in particular with EMSA. This will also include 
fully implementing a mechanism for exchange of information 
and expertise, and fostering cooperation in the field of data 
protection with the EFCA.

Strategic objective: 

The EMCDDA functions as a modern, efficient and forward-looking EU administration that is committed to providing high-quality service to its 
stakeholders and to EU citizens in general; in achieving this, the agency will be guided by good governance, steered by sound management and 
leadership and operated by a highly motivated and well-performing workforce

Actions

Expected results

GOV.1.  Support the EMCDDA’s Management Board in 
fulfilling its governance role 

GOV.2.  Implement efficient management and 
leadership of the EMCDDA 

n   Management Board, Executive Committee and Budget Committee meetings duly 

organised and decisions adopted (L1)

n   Efficient transition between the current and the forthcoming chairmanship of the 

Management Board that will take over at the beginning of 2016 (L2)

n   EMCDDA long-term strategy (until 2025) developed and adopted by the Management 

Board (L1)

n   Full compliance of EMCDDA operations with the existing EU regulations and practices 
concerning data protection, internal control mechanisms and risk management (L1)
n   Further efficiency gains through measures to rationalise use of resources and improve 

organisational performance, and through enhanced synergies with relevant partners (L2) 

GOV.3.  Further develop the managerial capacity

n   Enhanced managerial skills at middle-management level (L2)

GOV.4.  Support sound organisational performance 
management through state-of-the-art corporate 
planning, performance measurement and reporting

n   Single Multi-annual Programming Document (SPD) for 2017–19 adopted by the 

Management Board (L1)

n   SPD for 2018–20 drafted (L1)
n   General Report of Activities 2015 presented to key stakeholders and published in line with 

the recast regulation (L1)

n   Sound KPIs in place for all the areas (L2)
n   Management information system (MIS): concept developed and users requirements 

defined (L2)

44 / 64

2016 ANNUAL WORK PROGRAMMEI   Corporate action area: administration 

and ICT

I  Administration

In line with the strategic priorities for 2016–18 presented in 
Chapter 1, in 2016 the objective for this area will be to ensure 
that implementation of the activities planned across the 
different areas of the annual work programme are supported by 
effective and efficient management of the available resources.

Concerning HR management, this will encompass the sound 
management of existing processes, as required by the 
applicable staff regulations and their implementing rules. To 
the extent possible, these processes will be further optimised 
through developing digital solutions. Another priority will be 
the organisation of appropriate training for the agency’s staff, 
in line with available resources. In this context, special 
attention will be given to enhancing managerial capacity at 
middle-management level.

The priorities in the financial resources management area are: 
effective and timely planning; monitoring and execution of the 
EMCDDA budget; and optimising all the related processes. 
These will be complemented by the efficient use of material 
resources.

Ensuring safety at work will continue to be a key objective for 
this important support area.

I  Information and communications technology (ICT)

The ICT programmes and services will be developed and 
delivered in line with the triennial objectives, which are: to 
implement and support core business and corporate projects 
and processes; and to provide a continuously stable 
environment that supports existing basic and advanced 
services.

Concerning the support to core business areas, the following 
activities will be given priority in 2016:

n 

n 

n 

 the maintenance and development of the established 
EMCDDA online data collection platforms, namely Fonte 
and the EDND (see also Cross-cutting area A), and the 
Data warehouse;
 technical support related to the implementation of the 
tools related to the new reporting system (the workbooks);
 further development of the EMCDDA’s web system, 
including migrating and hosting the ESPAD website.

Support will also be provided to the corporate areas, 
particularly to the planning and performance monitoring 
activities, and to the HR and financial management processes.

In order to ensure the most effective allocation of the limited 
resources in this area, the ICT Steering Committee will 
exercise the role of further refining these priorities and 
deciding on the intensity of work to be devoted to each 
activity, depending on the most critical organisational needs.

Strategic objective: 

Ensure sound allocation and management of financial and human resources and assets, and the management of the ICT infrastructure and services, 
through further rationalising and automating relevant processes and tools, enhancing efficiency and synergies, and developing the quality of services 
and support

Actions

Administration

ADM.1.  Human resources management 

ADM.2.  Financial and budget management and 
accounting

Expected results

n   Human resources are properly managed, in compliance with the rules set out in the Staff 
regulations and its implementing provisions, and in line with organisational needs (L1)

n   2016 training plan implemented (L2)
n   Existing digital tools (HR database, e-recruitment) maintained and improved; new tool for 

working time management in place (L2)

n   Updated procedures, manuals and templates produced and published, and relevant staff 

trained to implement them (L1)

n   2016 procurement plan successfully implemented (L2)
n   Efficiency of the contracting and payment process, with special attention to the actual 

execution of payments due before the end of legal deadlines (L2)

n   EMCDDA 2017 draft budget and 2018 preliminary draft budget submitted on time for 

internal approval and for adoption by the Management Board (L1)

n   High rate of budget execution (at least 97 % for commitment appropriations and 93 % for 

payment appropriations; maximum 5 % for cancelled payment appropriations) (L1)

n   Effective follow-up to recommendations from external audits performed (L2)
n   Timely publication of the report on the EMCDDA’s annual accounts for 2015 (L2)
n   Meeting-related expenditure on electronic workflow procedures conceptualised and 

developed (L3)

45 / 64

2016 ANNUAL WORK PROGRAMMEActions

Expected results

ADM.3.  Infrastructure management and logistics

Information and communications technology 

ICT.1.  Implement and support core business and 
corporate projects and processes

n   Health and safety risks identified (L2)
n   Security risk assessment delivered (L2)
n   Measures to ensure efficient use of utilities (L2)
n   Environmental report delivered (L2)
n   Contribution to the Greening network (L3)

n   Infrastructure for the annual drugs data collection and analysis (Fonte, Data warehouse, 

EDND) functional and further developed (see also Cross-cutting area A) (L1)

n   Technical support for the implementation of the new reporting system (workbooks) (L1)
n   Web system functional and further developed (including collaborative platforms) (L2)
n   Tools and processes developed to support efficient corporate planning and monitoring, 

and management of resources:
•   MIS: IT platform ready and requirements for customisation defined (L2)
•   Leave management system in place (L2)

ICT.2.  Provide a continuously stable environment that 
supports existing basic and advanced services

n   Business continuity plan implemented (L1)
n   Services implemented in line with the adopted ICT Service catalogue (L2)

46 / 64

2016 ANNUAL WORK PROGRAMMEI   ANNEX I 

Estimated budget allocation for the implementation of the EMCDDA 2016 work programme

The initial presentation of 2016 budgetary resources and 
distribution per areas were based on the parameters from the 
EMCDDA 2016 Preliminary Draft Budget, adopted in 
December 2014. The budgetary procedure was at a very early 
stage at that period — both for the EMCDDA and the EU 
general budget. Therefore, the budgetary figures at that 
moment and the distribution per main areas were broadly 
indicative.

In the beginning of 2016, we are adjusting the parameters in 
accordance with the 2016 budget, as adopted by the 
EMCDDA Management Board in December 2015. The current 
distribution of the financial envelope across main areas is 
based on the keys and ratios elaborated with the Preliminary 
Draft Budget, which are applied over the final amount of 2016 
financial resources.

According to the 2016 Budget, the 2016 budget will rely on the 
following revenue:

n 

n 

 EUR 14 794 000 to be provided by the EU subsidy to the 
EMCDDA;
 EUR 389 962.64 to be provided by Norway for its 
participation in the EMCDDA activities.

In addition, following the ratification of the Agreement 
between the European Community and Turkey, on the 
participation of the latter in the work of the EMCDDA (which 
entered into force on 1 June 2014):

n 

 EUR 210 000 to be provided by Turkey for its participation 
in the EMCDDA activities (third year).

The tables below present the estimated allocation of the 
EMCDDA’s 2016 budget appropriations for the 
implementation of the EMCDDA’s 2016 work programme.

47 / 64

2016 ANNUAL WORK PROGRAMMEA.  Key strategic action areas (KAs)

Main actors for 
implementation/ 
cost objects

EPI, IBS, SAT, 
SDI, COM, RTX

WP action areas

KA 1: 
Communicating 
evidence and 
knowledge 
exchange

KA 2: Early warning 
and threat 
assessment

SAT, EPI, IBS, 
COM

KA 3: Situation, 
responses and 
trend analysis

Total

EPI, IBS, SAT, 
SDI, COM

Allocated human resources  
(fte/year: full time equivalent per year)

Allocated budget resources —  
non-assigned appropriations (EUR)

Officials

Temporary 
agents

Contract 
agents

Seconded 
national 
experts

1.75

17.6

3.5

0

2

4.75

2

12.15

1.75

0

0

1

Total 
HR

For direct cost 
of operations (1)

For indirect cost 
of operations (2)

Total budget 

22.85 2 391 056.99

1 498 283.69

3 889 340.68

6.75

601 643.96

382 722.18

984 366.14

16.9

1 564 538.19

1 051 770.33

2 616 308.52

3.75

34.5

7.25

1

46.5

4 557 239.15

2 932 776.20

7 490 015.34

Notes:
(1)  Appropriations for cost/expenditure for operational activities and staff directly involved in the implementation of the EMCDDA mission/task/WP.
(2)   Overheads, i.e. appropriations for cost/expenditure for activities, equipment, infrastructure and staff that indirectly aim at implementing the EMCDDA mission/task/

WP, as their immediate aim is to support operational activities and staff. These overheads are distributed to operational activities in proportion of the human 
resources assigned for the implementation of these activities.

B.  Cross-cutting strategic action areas (CAs)

Allocated human resources  
(fte/year: full time equivalent per year)

Allocated budget resources —  
non-assigned appropriations (EUR)

WP action areas

Main actors for 
implementation/ 
cost objects

Officials

Temporary 
agents

Contract 
agents

Seconded 
national 
experts

CA A: Information 
collection and 
management

EPI, SAT, RTX

0.5

3.25

5.25

CA B: Quality 
assurance

SDI, EPI, COM, 
RTX

1.25

5.25

RTX, SDI, DIR

1.3

2

0.65

0.75

0

0

0

Total 
HR

For direct cost 
of operations (1)

For indirect cost 
of operations (2)

Total budget 

9

3 896 742.36

1 239 627.22

5 136 369.58

7.15

842 156.65

519 307.86

1 361 464.51

4.05

424 697.07

294 521.22

719 218.29

3.05

10.5

6.65

0

20.2

5 163 596.08

2 053 456.30

7 217 052.38

Notes:
(1)  Appropriations for cost/expenditure for operational activities and staff directly involved in the implementation of the EMCDDA mission/task/WP.
(2)   Overheads, i.e. appropriations for cost/expenditure for activities, equipment, infrastructure and staff that indirectly aim at implementing the EMCDDA mission/task/

WP, as their immediate aim is to support operational activities and staff. These overheads are distributed to operational activities in proportion of the human 
resources assigned for the implementation of these activities.

C.  Corporate action area governance

WP action areas

Main actors for 
implementation/ 
cost objects

Allocated human resources  
(fte/year: full time equivalent per year)

Allocated budget resources —  
non-assigned appropriations (EUR)

Officials

Temporary 
agents

Contract 
agents

Seconded 
national 
experts

Total 
HR

For direct cost 
of operations (1)

For indirect cost 
of operations (2)

Total budget 

Governance

EXO

Total

2.2

2.2

5

5

2.6

2.6

0

0

9.8

9.8

317 606.27

369 288.65

686 894.92

317 606.27

369 288.65

686 894.92

Notes: 
(1)  Appropriations for cost/expenditure for operational activities and staff directly involved in the implementation of the EMCDDA mission/task/WP.
(2)   Overheads, i.e. appropriations for cost/expenditure for activities, equipment, infrastructure and staff that indirectly aim at implementing the EMCDDA mission/task/

WP, as their immediate aim is to support operational activities and staff. These overheads are distributed to operational activities in proportion of the human 
resources assigned for the implementation of these activities.

48 / 64

CA C: Cooperation 
with partners

Total

2016 ANNUAL WORK PROGRAMMED.   Support to operations — Corporate action areas administration and ICT 

(Overhead included in the tables A, B and C in the column presenting indirect cost of operations)

Action areas

Main actors for implementation/cost objects

Administration: supporting core 
business

ICT

ADM (administration and resources/
assets management)

ICT (equipment and 
services)

Allocated human resources  
(fte/year: full time equivalent per year)

Officials

Temporary 
agents

Contract 
agents

Seconded 
national 
experts

Total

3

11

8

0

22

0

8

2.5

0

10.5

Total

3

19

10.5

0

32.5

Allocated budget resources for direct cost of supporting activities 
to be distributed to operations (1) (see above the column for indirect 
cost of operations) — non-assigned appropriations (EUR)

4 127 967.93

1 227 553.22

5 355 521.15

Notes: 
(1)  Appropriations for cost/expenditure for operational activities and staff directly involved in the implementation of the EMCDDA mission/task/WP.
(2)   Overheads, i.e. appropriations for cost/expenditure for activities, equipment, infrastructure and staff that indirectly aim at implementing the EMCDDA mission/task/

WP, as their immediate aim is to support operational activities and staff. These overheads are distributed to operational activities in proportion of the human 
resources assigned for the implementation of these activities.

E.  Summary of total allocations

Operations

Allocated human resources  
(fte/year: full time equivalent per year)

Officials

Temporary 
agents

Contract 
agents

Seconded 
national 
experts

Total HR

Allocated budget resources — 
non-assigned appropriations 
(EUR)

For direct cost of operations (tables 
A+B+C)

For indirect cost of operations (i.e. direct 
costs of support activities — table D)

Total

9

3

12

50

19

69

16.5

10.5

27

1

0

1

76.5

10 038 441.49

32.5

109

5 355 521.15

15 393 962.64

49 / 64

2016 ANNUAL WORK PROGRAMMEI   ANNEX II 

Monitoring and evaluation

I  Introduction

One of the key business principles of the EMCDDA for 
2016–18 is to implement a state-of-the-art performance 
measurement system, to ensure that work is on track and that 
the agency delivers its intended outcome and meets the 
expectations of its stakeholders.

One of the core components of this system is the 
implementation of a set of sound key performance indicators 
(KPIs) that will support the EMCDDA to measure the 
achievement of its strategic objectives for 2016–18 and report 
the results to its stakeholders.

In order to accomplish that, a limited number of KPIs that are 
highly relevant for the triennial strategic objectives have been 
defined for each of the eight action areas of this three-year 
work programme. Progress in implementation will be tracked 
based on the yearly targets that are set up in the annual work 
programmes.

In defining these KPIs, the EMCDDA has taken stock of the 
existing practices established across EU agencies. This was 
facilitated by the use of the repository of KPIs built by the 
Performance Development Network of EU agencies, of which 
the EMCDDA is an active member. This will contribute to a 
harmonised approach and facilitate experience exchange and 
use of lessons learnt from across the agencies.

To this end, it should be noted that some definitions and 
targets might need to be reviewed in order to take into account 
changing circumstances. One example is the new drugs area, 
where current targets are in line with the provisions of Council 
Decision 2005/387/JHA, in place at the time of drafting this 
work programme. The entering into force of the new legal 
framework that is expected to replace Council Decision 
2005/387/JHA may require these targets to be revised.

Furthermore, it is important to note the early submission of 
the consultation draft 2016–18 strategy and work programme 
(WP) and the 2016 WP, on 31 March 2015. Giving that 2015 is 
the first year for the agency of implementation of KPIs for all 
the areas of work, it serves as a testing year, when the 
methodologies for measuring the indicators are being further 
developed/improved and consolidated. This will feed the 
entire performance monitoring system that is being put in 
place by the EMCDDA; revisions of the methods of calculation 
and of the value of the targets set up in the 2016–18 WP are 
therefore to be expected as a natural development of the 
process. New KPIs might also need to be defined, if relevant 
for an efficient measurement of the EMCDDA´s activities.

In addition, the fourth external evaluation of the EMCDDA is 
expected to take place during the 2016–18 programming 
period. This will provide the agency with an efficient 
opportunity to have higher-level results of its work measured. 
This includes the satisfaction of stakeholders with the 
EMCDDA´s outputs (products and services), overall work 
relevance and added value and effectiveness in the 
implementation of its mandate.

In order to support the measurement of the KPIs, a detailed 
monitoring and evaluation (M&E) plan is being developed. For 
each indicator, the M&E plan includes information on the 
method of calculation, baseline, target, type of indicator, 
frequency of monitoring, reference documents and/or data 
sources, and responsibilities. This M&E plan will be updated 
every year in order to include and monitor new indicators and/
or targets, as appropriate.

In addition to the implementation of the KPIs presented below, 
the agency will further develop its ongoing operational 
monitoring processes and will continue to track progress of all 
the activities planned in the annual work programmes and the 
achievement of their expected outputs/results.

50 / 64

2016 ANNUAL WORK PROGRAMMEI   Key strategic action area 1:  

communicating evidence and knowledge exchange

Strategic objective: 

Provide policy and practice with better evidence for decision-making and action and serve as the European central reference point for drug-related 
information and analysis

Key performance indicators

Target 2016

Target 2016–18

Outputs — products and online resources

KPI 1.1.1.  Timely production of major EMCDDA 
outputs (European Drug Report (EDR); 
EMCDDA–Europol EU Drug Markets Report 
(EDMR); European Drug Responses Report 
(EDRR); ESPAD report 2015) 

KPI 1.1.2.  Efficiency in delivering key outputs 

KPI 1.1.3.  Publishing of scientific articles in 
peer-reviewed journals 

Launched as planned:
–   2016 EDR package
–   Second edition of EDMR
–   2015 ESPAD report

Drafted (for publication in 2017):
–   First edition of EDRR

Launched as planned:
–   2016, 2017 and 2018 EDR packages
–   Second edition of EDMR
–   2015 ESPAD report
–   First edition of EDRR 

Drafted (for publication in 2019):
–   Third edition of EDMR

Efficient workflow ensured by setting up 
milestones for each key output in the products 
database, with remedial actions to address 
deviations taken within one month 

Efficient workflow ensured by setting up 
milestones for each key output in the products 
database, with remedial actions to address 
deviations taken within one month 

Impact score 20 or higher (impact score = the 
journal impact factor X the number of scientific 
articles published in 2016)

Impact score 60 or higher (impact score = the 
journal impact factor X the number of scientific 
articles published in 2016–18) (cumulative)

KPI 1.1.4.  Use of the EMCDDA´s online 
resources 

Minimum download targets for key resources 
set up and met 

KPI 1.1.5.  Increase in the coverage of evidence 
provided by the Best practice portal (BPP)

BPP updated in all the existing areas and 
extended to include evidence on the 
effectiveness of responses to NPS

Minimum download targets for key resources 
met (figures related to number of downloads to 
be presented cumulative for 2016–18) 

BPP updated in all the existing areas and 
extended to include evidence on the 
effectiveness of responses to NPS and national 
strategies

Outputs — services

KPI 1.1.6.  Responsiveness of the EMCDDA to 
the needs of key institutional stakeholders (EU 
institutions and Member States)

a)  Core list of institutional meetings formally 
established and minimum 90 % of events 
attended

a)  Minimum 90 % of the events established 
annually in the core list of institutional meetings 
attended

Training and capacity building

KPI 1.1.7.  Level of satisfaction with the training 
provided by the EMCDDA (average score 
calculated based on all the training evaluation 
reports)

Communicating with audiences

KPI 1.1.8.  Contribution to relevant scientific and 
practice drug events 

KPI 1.1.9.  Information and knowledge 
dissemination to agency´s visitors

KPI 1.1.10.  Responsiveness to public requests 

KPI 1.1.11.  Audience reached through social 
and multi-media channels and products 

b)  100 % of the requests for input/advice from 
key institutional stakeholders assessed and 
responded to within three weeks

b)  100 % of all the requests for input/advice 
from key institutional stakeholders received in 
2016–18 assessed and responded to within 
three weeks

Minimum 80 % satisfaction rate 

Minimum 80 % satisfaction rate

EMCDDA presentations delivered at minimum 
80 % of the identified major drug-related 
scientific and practice events in 2016

EMCDDA presentations delivered at minimum 
80 % of the identified major drug-related 
scientific and practice events in 2016–18

100 % of the requests to visit the EMCDDA 
received from EU institutions and national 
authorities from EU Member States fulfilled 

100 % of the requests to visit the EMCDDA 
received in 2016–18 from EU institutions and 
national authorities from EU Member States 
fulfilled 

100 % of the public enquiries received are 
answered in line with the European 
Ombudsman guidelines

100 % of the public enquiries received in 
2016–18 were answered in line with the 
European Ombudsman guidelines

a)  Increased number of views of multi-media 
products (videos, apps, etc.) (as compared to 
2015) 

a)  Increased number of views of multi-media 
products (videos, apps, etc.) (across 2016, 2017 
and 2018) 

b)  Increased social media reach (number of 
unique people who saw social media content) 
(as compared to 2015) 

b)  Increased social media reach (number of 
unique people who saw social media content) 
(across 2016, 2017 and 2018)

KPI 1.1.12.  Effectiveness of the EMCDDA in 
communicating with media

100 % of media enquiries received responded 
to within two working days

100 % of media enquiries received in 2016–18 
responded to within two working days

51 / 64

2016 ANNUAL WORK PROGRAMMEI   Key strategic action area 2:  

early warning and threat assessment

Strategic objective: 

Support rapid EU response to new threats by providing EU institutions and Member States with prompt and scientifically sound information for 
action on new psychoactive substances and emerging drug trends

Key performance indicators

Target 2016

Target 2016–18

Responding to NPS — EU EWS and risk assessment

KPI 2.1.1.  Timely, relevant and quality 
implementation of the information exchange 
and risk assessment mechanism on new 
psychoactive substances (NPS)

KPI 2.1.2.  Contribution of the EMCDDA to policy 
decisions with impact on the public health of EU 
citizens

Emerging trends and threats

a)  Timely issue of formal notifications on NPS 
and public health-related warnings to the EWS 
network

a)  Timely issue of formal notifications on NPS 
and public health-related warnings to the EWS 
network

b)  Annual implementation report submitted to 
the EP, the Council and the EC and published

b)  Annual implementation reports submitted to 
the EP, the Council and the EC and published

c)  Formal reports (EMCDDA–Europol Joint 
Reports on NPS, and Risk Assessment Reports) 
submitted to stakeholders within the stipulated 
deadline (as appropriate)

c)  Formal reports (EMCDDA–Europol Joint 
Reports on NPS, and Risk Assessment Reports) 
submitted to stakeholders within the stipulated 
deadline (as appropriate)

Decisions concerning the control of NPS made 
by the Council of the EU and the EC are 
informed by the evidence provided by the 
EMCDDA

Decisions concerning the control of NPS made 
by the Council of the EU and the EC in 2016–18 
are informed by the evidence provided by the 
EMCDDA

KPI 2.1.3.  Timely identification and reporting of 
emerging trends and threats

Rapid assessment and communication of new 
threats (when triggered)

Rapid assessment and communication of new 
threats (when triggered)

KPI 2.1.4.  Availability of new methods and tools 
for rapid monitoring

Roadmap for improving sensitivity of reporting 
tools for new threats and developments 
developed and agreed 

Internet monitoring tools in place
Systems for monitoring and analysis of OSI 
developed 

I   Key strategic action area 3:  

situation, responses and trend analysis

Strategic objective: 

Provide a holistic picture of the drug phenomenon, through an integrated and coherent core monitoring system

Key performance indicators

Target 2016

Target 2016–18

KPI 3.1.1.  Relevance and consistency of 
reporting tools and instruments 

KPI 3.1.2.  Level of progress in the 
implementation of supply indicators

KPI 3.1.3.  Availability of new methods and tools 
to monitor drug areas where information is 
currently insufficient (e.g. health-related 
responses to NPS, Internet)

Efficient follow-up on the implementation of the 
recommendations from the 2015 triennial 
review of the key epidemiological indicators 
(KIs) with the EMCDDA reporting countries (28 
Member States, Norway and Turkey)

2018 triennial review of all reporting tools 
carried out to ensure their relevance and 
consistency and the EMCDDA reporting 
countries provided with feedback to support 
further implementation at national level 

Drug seizures and drug-law offences indicators 
implemented as planned (the revised 
instruments are adopted by the Member States 
(Reitox NFPs) and are routinely implemented as 
of 2016); on drug production facilities (data 
collected by Europol) 

Implementation as planned (in line with the 
Council Conclusions on improving the 
monitoring of drug supply in the European 
Union adopted in 2013) for the indicators on: 
drug seizures; drug-law offences; drug prices; 
drug purity and content; drug availability in 
population surveys; market size estimates; and 
drug production facilities (data collected by 
Europol) 

Roadmap for improving monitoring developed 
and agreed

Information gaps addressed

52 / 64

2016 ANNUAL WORK PROGRAMMEI   Cross-cutting area A:  

information collection and management

Strategic objective: 

Ensure the validity, consistency and reliability of the EMCDDA reporting system

Key performance indicators

Target 2016

Target 2016–18

The annual information collection exercise

KPI A.1.  Level of implementation of the new 
reporting system (workbooks) in the 30 
reporting countries

At least 80 % of the countries (i.e. 24) submit the 
five main workbooks and minimum 50 % of the 
countries (i.e. 15) submit all 10 workbooks

Minimum 90 % of the countries (i.e. 27) submit 
all workbooks 

KPI A.2.  Timeliness of the provision of annual 
data by the Reitox NFPs

At least 80 % of the countries submit 90 % of 
the requested ST and SQ by mid-October and 
80 % of countries report their workbooks or 
equivalent by mid-November 

At least 80 % of the countries submit 90 % of 
the requested ST and SQ by mid-October and 
80 % of countries report their workbooks or 
equivalent by mid-November 

Management of the Reitox network

KPI A.3.  Execution rate (commitments) of the 
grant agreements budget

95 % of the available funding is committed for 
NFPs grants 

95 % of the available funding is committed for 
NFPs grants

KPI A.4.  Timeliness of processing of the 
payment requests

85 % of the balance payment requests — 
submitted complete and on time — are 
successfully checked and paid by 30 June of 
year N+1

85 % of the balance payment requests — 
submitted complete and on time — are 
successfully checked and paid by 30 June of 
year N+1

I  Cross-cutting area B: quality assurance

Strategic objective: 

Ensure that the EMCDDA´s tools, processes and outputs remain of high quality and fit for purpose through a process of continuous improvement and 
evaluation of efforts

Key performance indicators

Target 2016

Target 2016–18

KPI B.1.  Implementation of quality mechanisms 
to support the scientific activities

Quality standards and guidelines in place for 
key scientific processes and outputs 

Quality standards and guidelines in place for 
key scientific processes and outputs 

KPI B.2.  Provision of scientific input/advice (in 
the form of peer review, formal opinions, input 
to protocols, projects, products, etc.) by 
Scientific Committee members (as measured 
through percentage of requests met out of the 
total number of requests received by Scientific 
Committee members from the Director and the 
Management Board)

KPI B.3.  Effectiveness of the Director in 
providing support to the Scientific Committee in 
performing its tasks

Minimum 70 %

Minimum 70 %

a)  100 % of the supporting documents 
uploaded on the Scientific Committee extranet 
at least two weeks before the Scientific 
Committee meetings (except for documents 
related to events occurring within this 
timeframe) 

a)  100 % of the supporting documents 
uploaded on the Scientific Committee extranet 
at least two weeks before the Scientific 
Committee meetings (except for documents 
related to events occurring within this 
timeframe) 

b)  Draft minutes of the Scientific Committee 
meetings sent to the Chair within two weeks of 
the close of the meetings

b)  Draft minutes of the Scientific Committee 
meetings sent to the Chair within two weeks of 
the close of the meetings

KPI B.4.  Efficient quality assurance feedback for 
the new reporting system 

Quality feedback reports provided to Reitox 
NFPs on their contributions under the new 
reporting system

KPI B.5.  Level of progress in the 
implementation of the internal statistics code of 
practice

Indicators developed for a selection of 
principles in section Statistical Output in the 
internal statistics code of practice 

Quality standards implemented in 2018

Updated internal statistics code of practice with 
a selection of associated indicators adopted 

53 / 64

2016 ANNUAL WORK PROGRAMMEI   Cross-cutting area C:  

cooperation with partners

Strategic objective: 

Enhance and further increase the quality of the services provided to EU and MS stakeholders, through a better strategic understanding of the drug 
phenomenon, catalysed by strong partnerships with key players at European and global level, and by knowledge transfer to EU priority third countries 
and regional programmes

Key performance indicators

Target 2016

Target 2016–18

KPI C.1.  Efficient implementation of MoUs and 
other working arrangements with key partners 

Priority areas for joint work in the context of the 
2016–18 strategy and work programme defined 

Objectives in priority areas achieved

KPI C.2.  Efficient implementation of the IPA 5 
project 

a)  Minimum 80 % of the expected results for 
2016 are achieved (in line with the 
commitments expressed by the partner 
countries)

a)  Minimum 80 % of the project expected 
results are achieved (in line with the 
commitments expressed by the partner 
countries)

b)  Minimum 85 % of the overall annual budget 
committed

b)  Minimum 85 % of the total budget 
committed

KPI C.3.  Efficient implementation of the ENP 
project

Minimum 80 % of the expected results for 2016 
are achieved (in line with the commitments 
expressed by the partner countries)

Minimum 85 % of the overall annual budget 
committed

n.a.

n.a.

I  Corporate area: governance

Strategic objective: 

The EMCDDA functions as a modern, efficient and forward-looking EU administration, which is committed to providing high-quality service to its 
stakeholders and to EU citizens in general; in achieving that, the agency will be guided by good governance, steered by sound management and 
leadership and operated by a highly motivated and performant workforce

Key performance indicators

Target 2016

Target 2016–18

KPI GOV.1.  Effectiveness of the Director in 
providing support to the Management Board for 
performing its tasks

a)  100 % of the supporting documents 
uploaded on the Management Board extranet at 
least two weeks before the Management Board 
meetings (except for documents related to 
events occurring within this timeframe)

a)  100 % of the supporting documents 
uploaded on the Management Board extranet at 
least two weeks before the Management Board 
meetings (except for documents related to 
events occurring within this timeframe)

b)  Draft minutes of the Management Board 
meetings sent to the Chair within 20 working 
days of the close of the meetings

b)  Draft minutes of the Management Board 
meetings sent to the Chair within 20 working 
days of the close of the meetings

KPI GOV.2.  Degree of implementation of the 
2016–18 work programme and of the 2016 
work programme

100 % of the expected outputs/results listed as 
Level 1 priority (L1), 80 % of the expected 
outputs/results listed as Level 2 priority (L2) 
and 50 % of the expected outputs/results listed 
as Level 3 priority (L3) achieved

Minimum 80 % of the key results defined in the 
2016–18 work programme achieved

KPI GOV.3.  Degree of implementation of the 
performance measurement system

a)  KPIs for the 2016 work programme 
implemented and Monitoring and Evaluation 
Plan developed to track their progress

a)  KPIs for the 2018 work programme 
implemented and Monitoring and Evaluation 
Plan developed to track their progress

b)  KPIs refined for the 2017 work programme 
(definitions improved, as appropriate, and 
targets defined)

c)  Management Information System piloted

b)  KPIs defined for the 2019 work programme

c)  Management Information System 
operational

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2016 ANNUAL WORK PROGRAMMEKey performance indicators

Target 2016

Target 2016–18

KPI GOV.4.  Timely delivery of the documents 
supporting the strategic planning and 
programming cycle (three-year work 
programme, annual work programme, General 
Report of Activities) (as required by the 
EMCDDA founding recast regulation)

KPI GOV.5.  Degree of implementation of 
internal audit recommendations

All documents delivered within deadline

All documents delivered within deadline

100 % of the internal audit recommendations 
(‘critical’ and ‘very important’) implemented 
within the deadline anticipated in the follow-up 
action plan endorsed by the Management 
Board

100 % of the internal audit recommendations 
(‘critical’ and ‘very important’) implemented 
within the deadline anticipated in the follow-up 
action plan endorsed by the Management 
Board

I  Corporate area: administration and ICT

Strategic objective: 

Ensure sound allocation and management of financial and human resources and assets, and the management of the ICT infrastructure and services, 
through further rationalising and automating relevant processes and tools, enhancing efficiency and synergies, and developing the quality of services 
and support

Key performance indicators

Target 2016

KPI ADM.1.  Budget execution rate — 
commitment appropriations (without assigned 
appropriations)

KPI ADM.2.  Budget execution rate — payment 
appropriations (without assigned 
appropriations)

KPI ADM.3.  Occupation rate (implementation of 
the establishment plan)

KPI ADM.4.  Staff turnover

Minimum 97 % of the total commitment 
appropriations 

Minimum 93 % of the total payment 
appropriations

94 % of the establishment plan posts (officials, 
temporary agents) filled at the end of the year 
(in line with resources)

Maximum 4 % of staff leaving EMCDDA during 
the year, out of the total number of staff 
(officials, temporary agents, contract agents)

Target 2016–18

To be defined

To be defined

To be defined

To be defined

KPI ADM.5.  Average number of training days 
per staff member

Minimum of three days

To be defined

KPI ADM.6.  Average time of recruitment 
processes

Maximum of four months from the expiry date 
of the vacancy notice to appointment decision

To be defined

KPI ADM.7.  Number of accidents at workplace

No accidents

No accidents in 2016–18

KPI ADM.8.  Efficiency in using available 
facilities, equipment and infrastructure

No increase in utility costs (as compared to 
2015)

No increase in utility costs (as compared to 
2017)

KPI ICT.1.  Project management and 
implementation accountability (compliance 
with the EMCDDA’s adopted ICT project 
management standard)

KPI ICT.2.  Availability of the ICT systems

100 % 

100 % 

a)  Office supporting infrastructure availability: 
system availability superior to 95 %, office hours 
(maximum of 103 hours of accumulated down 
time over the year)

a)  Office supporting infrastructure availability: 
system availability superior to 95 %, office hours 
(maximum of 103 hours of accumulated down 
time over the year)

b)  Corporate supporting infrastructure 
availability (websites, web applications, Fonte, 
databases, email, security): system runs on a 
24x7 basis with an overall availability annual 
target of minimum 99 % availability (maximum 
of 88 hours of annual accumulated down time)

b)  Corporate supporting infrastructure 
availability (websites, web applications, Fonte, 
databases, email, security): system runs on a 
24x7 basis with an overall availability annual 
target of minimum 99 % availability (maximum 
of 88 hours of annual accumulated down time)

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2016 ANNUAL WORK PROGRAMMEI   ANNEX III 

Potential risk factors

Risk factors identified for delivery of the 
2016 work programme

Likelihood of risk and respective impact on the 2016 work programme 

External risks with a direct link to specific fields of the annual work programme

1.  Insufficient funding of the 2016 EMCDDA 
budget.

2.  Lack of adequate resources for NFPs in the 
Member States, which will impact their 
capacity to comply with reporting obligations 
towards the EMCDDA. This risk could be 
compounded by insufficient funding of 
information collection in Member States (see 
3, immediately below).

3.  Reduction of the reporting capacity of 
Member States, due to either a lack of or 
reduced availability of core data with 
adequate quality levels.

4.  Supplementary specific requests from EU 
institutions to provide technical support for 
the implementation of EC programmes and 
actions, particularly regarding implementation 
of Council Decision 2005/387/JHA on NPS.

5.  Supplementary requests from Member 
States and third parties to provide expertise in 
specific domains

The value of the EU subsidy decreased some EUR 756 000 from 2013 to 2014 and remained 
substantially unchanged in 2015. The expected maintenance, from 2016 to 2018, of the EU subsidy 
at 2014/5 levels would represent, per se, a medium- to high-level risk, in view of the erosion of its 
value in real terms and against a background of increasing pressure on the agency’s resources (see 
risks 2 to 5, below). 

All core monitoring activities could be affected, bringing along the following main consequences: a) 
lessened capability in identifying new drug threats and developments; b) undermining of 
established and valid time series data; and c) reduced ability to properly report to the EMCDDA key 
partners.
The EMCDDA’s own budget constraints have led to a decrease of its grants to the NFPs: a reviewing 
of the present national reporting package had to be done and should continue, involving regular 
reviews of core data needs and timely feedback to the NFPs on their performance and compliance 
with reporting obligations towards the EMCDDA.
The budgetary situation in certain Member States has also led to cuts in funding of the respective 
NFPs; this risk can therefore be assessed as medium to high.

The timeliness and comprehensiveness of reporting by Member States on new threats and drug 
developments have been affected; reporting on matters relating to the introduction of new 
psychoactive substances (NPS) has been missing or delayed.
Some comparative data has been unavailable, which has not allowed useful analysis at European 
level.
The impact of this risk can be considered as medium to high and should in principle be confined to 
some Member States.

Supporting Drug Policy and Technical Cooperation (with EU institutions) could be affected. The 
same applies regarding the undertaking of prompt action aimed at addressing issues arising from 
harmful NPS.
In view of the high number of NPS appearing over a short time period, monitoring through the Early 
Warning System (EWS) and risk assessments has posed additional burdens on the work 
programme. Legal obligations regarding performance of risk assessments along the lines 
established in Council Decision 2005/387/JHA need to be complied with. For this reason, resources 
have been partially re-allocated.
Similar concerns also exist for additional requests related to new activities in the field of Home 
Affairs. For these reason the risk level is within the medium to high range. 

Supporting Drug Policy and Technical Cooperation (with EU institutions) could be affected.
The level of requests has been managed with increasing difficulty: any increase in demand for this 
type of expertise would need additional scientific resources dedicated to it and needs to be 
considered in view of other priorities of the work programme; in this respect, there are serious 
concerns over the work overload being created in response to a big number of requests addressed 
to the EMCDDA. The risk level is presently seen as medium, although on the increase.

External events that might have an impact on the implementation of the annual work programme as a whole

6.  Natural catastrophes: earthquakes (leading 
to possible tsunamis), landslides or floods

7.  Terrorist attacks

The location of the EMCDDA facilities, bordering the Tagus river, raises a potential risk of being 
affected by any of these natural catastrophes. The likely consequences of a major earthquake are 
hardly predictable and appropriate measures would have to be taken in order to deal with the 
resulting damage. A landslide of the building caused by earthquakes, although not very likely, cannot 
be ruled out.
As regards the Tagus flooding, some information available suggests that the potential risk here 
would be low. On the other hand, it is conceivable that a combination of heavy rain and Tagus high 
tides could cause the flooding of the underground car park. Further mitigating measures to deal 
with this risk ought to be agreed with and taken by the Administration of the Port of Lisbon (APL), the 
entity that owns the Cais do Sodré building. Letters in this regard have been sent to the APL on 
multiple occasions.
A very comprehensive insurance contract covering inter alia adverse effects from earthquakes, 
landslides and floods has been signed.
A Business Continuity Plan (BCP) for the agency as a whole has been approved in 2013: this will 
help mitigate these risks and respective consequences.

Any activity of the EMCDDA could be affected. Recent events in some European countries, while 
isolated, raise serious issues concerning possible collateral effects of ISIS activities both in North 
Africa and the Middle East (notably, radicalisation of youngsters and further home-grown terrorism).
A series of mitigating measures have been taken, notably: adequate insurance policies of premises; 
reinforced building protection against bomb blasts and small-calibre bullets; and, scanning of 
suspicious mail. As regards further measures, the following is planned: to redesign the main 
entrances at the EMCDDA premises, in order to create a second barrier for possible intruders and 
enhance security at the working areas; to contact the Portuguese authorities, in order to re-evaluate 
the threat level posed to European agencies located in Lisbon, the main idea being to obtain a 
permanent police presence at the Praça Europa.

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2016 ANNUAL WORK PROGRAMMERisk factors identified for delivery of the 
2016 work programme

Internal risks

8.1  Information technology (IT) governance 
risks, notably linked to:
a)  suboptimal investment decisions in IT;
b)  certain weaknesses in the management of 
IT projects; and
c)  insufficient licensing and assets 
management procedures.

8.2  Information technology technical risks, 
notably linked to:
a)  software configuration management 
problems resulting from incorrectly planned 
installations of software;
b)  inconsistent application of patching 
procedures, compounded by insufficient 
documentation of interventions and systems 
updates;
c)  difficulties in ensuring business continuity 
and swift recovery in cases of incidents or 
disasters, due to both governance related and 
technical risks; and
d)  security violations, due to some lack of 
adequate procedures, policies and 
documentation in the IT area.

9.  Unexpected departure of key members of 
staff, which could negatively impact the 
quality of the scientific output of the EMCDDA.

Likelihood of risk and respective impact on the 2016 work programme 

A vast number of mitigating measures to deal with these risks have been implemented, namely:
a)  setting up of a register with a categorisation of ICT investments; elaboration of a detailed report 
on ICT activities from 2010 onwards; setting up of a project catalogue for ICT; creation of an ICT 
Investments Steering Committee that reviews and control investments in the area; implementation 
of a project portfolio management process; adoption of the 2013–15 ICT strategic plan; and 
improved documentation of procedures leading to decisions taken on IT investments;
b)  setting up of the ICT Advisory Committee; participation of the EMCDDA in inter-institutional 
Framework Contracts; adoption of a ‘turn-key’ approach to projects; definition and implementation 
of a project management methodology for ICT-managed projects; and implementation of a project 
management framework using an enhanced methodology;
c)  the use of suitable supporting tools to manage desktop computer applications and 
configurations.
A wide range of additional measures and actions is expected to further reduce existing risks levels 
to tolerable levels: a) implementation of a framework targeting investment optimisation; b) 
implementation of three Framework Contracts focused on Internet connectivity, SAP consultancy 
and the so-called ‘cloud’; c) enhancing planning and control of licence and assets utilisation; setting 
up of the ICT Services Catalogue on the basis of the new Service Request Management Tool.

Most relevant mitigating measures have already been implemented, such as:

a)  setting up of an automatic monitoring system to deal with installed configurations; configuration 
audit exercises; implementation of technical tools addressing management of software 
configuration issues; and conception of a ‘documentation tree’ as the basis for a future 
documentation set covering risk management, security and governance in IT;
b)  ad hoc testing of potential consequences emerging from patching procedural weaknesses and 
systematic registration of interventions performed; setting up of a Definitive Software Library (DSL), 
indicating software versions in use and patches installed; and extension of the scope of Windows 7 
in order to include the configuration of patching capabilities;
c)  definition of standards for a Business Continuity Plan (BCP) of the EMCDDA as a whole (thus 
also covering IT); initiation of Service Continuity and Disaster Recovery Plans; implementation of an 
external facility for backup tape storage; use of a Framework Contract for the backup consolidation 
project supporting business continuity; procurement of specialised assistance services in cases of 
disaster; and documentation of key technical dependencies in ICT;
d)  installation of network management software combined with an update of the software version 
of Firewalls; introduction of modules for intrusion detection and prevention; increased protection 
against malware and virus threats.
Furthermore, a comprehensive set of additional measures has been foreseen in order to further 
reduce present risk levels: a) establishment of standard documentation on the EMCDDA ICT 
technical infrastructure; b) definition of specific guidelines for patching in servers; creation of 
documentation on processes used for patching of desktops; and, alignment of software 
configurations and use of patching capabilities also on Citrix servers; c) finalisation of the work 
started in implementing the Service Continuity and Disaster Recovery Plans; implementing 
business continuity in telephony services; and d) contracting and carrying out telecom security-
related services and external audits on sensitive areas of the EMCDDA core business (for instance, 
public websites and the Fonte data collection application); outsourcing of ex-post assessments on 
ICT security-related areas.

Given the highly specialised and technical nature of much of the agency’s work, finding suitable 
replacements can be a time-consuming task: redeployment could prove to be unfeasible as it would 
require the existence of a pool of staff members with very comprehensive skills and expertise in the 
areas at stake.
The readjustment inside the Scientific Division has provided some backup arrangements for all staff 
concerned, whilst allowing a wider decentralisation of responsibilities in this key area. Even so, these 
might turn out to be insufficient, notably in the case of long-term absence of key staff, which could 
hinder the EMCDDA’s core operations.
Investment in human resources ensures that needs that arise are treated with the minimum delay in 
most cases; a recruitment tool was developed by the EMCDDA with a view to further accelerate 
recruitment procedures. Job profiles have been designed with a view to recruiting staff for 
transversal tasks and facilitating the sharing of knowledge and expertise within small working 
groups. A stable contracts policy with key staff, notably in scientific areas, has been pursued and 
ought to be reinforced.
In view of the mitigation measures already taken and planned, the risk level can be assessed as low 
to medium. 

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2016 ANNUAL WORK PROGRAMMEI   ANNEX IV 

List of procurements for the year 2016

Pursuant to the applicable financial regulation, this annex 
indicates the procurements for non-administrative activities 
that have been envisaged for the implementation of the 
EMCDDA 2016 work programme and whose estimated value 
is equal to or greater than EUR 60 000, to be covered by 
appropriations entered into Title 3 of the relevant EMCDDA 
budget.

No such procurements have been envisaged for the 
implementation of the 2016 work programme. In the event 
that such procurements are launched during 2016 the 
EMCDDA Management Board will be duly and promptly 
informed.

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2016 ANNUAL WORK PROGRAMMEI   ANNEX V 

List of the beneficiaries of Reitox grants (national focal points)

n 

n 

n 
n 

n 

n 

n 

n 

n 

n 

n 

n 

n 

n 

n 

 AUSTRIA: Gesundheit Österreich GmbH (Austrian Health 
Institute), Vienna.
 BELGIUM: Institute of Public Health — Patrimoine (IPH-
Patrimoine), Brussels.
 BULGARIA: National Centre for Addictions (NCA BG), Sofia.
 CROATIA: Vlada Republike Hrvatske — Ured za suzbijanje 
zlouporabe droga (Office for Combating Drugs Abuse of 
the Government of the Republic of Croatia), Zagreb.
 CYPRUS: ANTINAPKΩTIKO ΣYMBOYΛIO KYΠPOY (Cyprus 
Anti-Drugs Council — CAC), Nicosia.
 CZECH REPUBLIC: Úřad vlády České republiky (Office of 
the Government of the Czech Republic), Prague.
 DENMARK: Danish Health and Medicines Authority, 
Copenhagen.
 ESTONIA: Tervise Arengu Instituut (National Institute for 
Health Development — NIHD), Tallinn.
 FINLAND: Terveyden Ja Hyvinvoinnin Laitos (National 
Institute for Health and Welfare — THL), Helsinki.
 FRANCE: Observatoire Français des Drogues et des 
Toxicomanies (French Monitoring Centre for Drugs and 
Drug Addiction), Saint-Denis.
 GERMANY: Institut für Therapieforschung (Institute for 
Therapy Research), Munich.
 GREECE: Εθνικό Κέντρο Τεκμηρίωσης και Πληροφόρησης 
για τα Ναρκωτικά — ΕΚΤΕΠΝ (University Mental Health 
Research Institute), Athens.
 HUNGARY: Országos Epidemiológiai Központ (National 
Centre for Epidemiology), Budapest.
 IRELAND: Health Research Board (HRB) — Drugs Misuse 
Research Division, Dublin.
 ITALY: Presidenza del Consiglio dei Ministri — 
Dipartimento per le Politiche Antidroga (Presidency of the 
Council of Ministers — Department for Antidrug Policies), 
Rome.

n 

n 

n 

n 

n 
n 

n 

n 

n 

n 

n 

n 

n 

 LATVIA: Slimību profilakses un kontroles centra (Centre for 
Disease Prevention and Control of Latvia), Riga.
 LITHUANIA: Narkotikų, Tabako ir Alkoholio Kontrolés 
Departhamentas (Drug, Tobacco and Alcohol Control 
Department), Vilnius.
 LUXEMBOURG: Luxembourg Institute of Health (LIH), 
Luxembourg.
 MALTA: Ministry for the Family and Social Solidarity 
(MFSS), Valletta.
 NETHERLANDS: Stichting Trimbos Instituut, Utrecht.
 POLAND: Krajowe Biuro Do Spraw Przeciwdziałania 
Narkomanii (National Bureau for Drugs Prevention), 
Warsaw.
 PORTUGAL: Serviço de Intervenção nos Comportamentos 
Aditivos e nas Dependências (SICAD), Lisbon.
 ROMANIA: Agenţia Natională Antidrog (National Anti-drug 
Agency), Bucharest.
 SLOVAKIA: Ministerstvo zdravotníctva Slovenskej republiky 
— MZ SR (Ministry of Health of the Slovak Republic), 
Bratislava.
 SLOVENIA: Inštitut za Varovanje Zdravja Republike 
Slovenije — NIJZ (National Institute of Public Health of the 
Republic of Slovenia), Ljubljana.
 SPAIN: Delegación del Gobierno para el Plan Nacional 
sobre Drogas (Government Delegation for the National 
Plan on Drugs — GDNPD), Madrid.
 SWEDEN: Folkhälsomyndigheten (Public Health Agency of 
Sweden), Östersund.
 UNITED KINGDOM: Public Health England, London.

Full contact details are available at: www.emcdda.europa.eu/
about/partners/reitox-network

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2016 ANNUAL WORK PROGRAMMEI   ANNEX VI 

Template of the 2016 Reitox grant agreement

The current grant agreement template is available at: www.emcdda.europa.eu/about/partners/reitox-network

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2016 ANNUAL WORK PROGRAMMEI   ANNEX VII 

Technical assistance projects — 2016 implementation plan

In 2016, the EMCDDA will implement two technical assistance 
projects for third countries, as follows:

n 

n 

 IPA 5 — the fifth project funded under the Instrument for 
Pre-Accession Assistance (IPA) started in 2015 and has a 
budget of EUR 600 000. It aims to further support IPA 
beneficiaries in their preparation for participation in the 
EMCDDA activities and in the Reitox network.

I  I. IPA 5 project

 ENP — the project ‘Towards a gradual improvement of ENP 
partner countries’ capacity to monitor and to meet drug-
related challenges’ started in 2014 and has a total budget 
of EUR 450 000. It aims to strengthen the capacity of ENP 
partner countries to react to new challenges and 
developments in the drug situation.

The 2016 implementation plans for the two projects are 
presented below.

Interventions

Activities

Expected results

Specific objective 1. To consolidate the institutionalisation of the cooperation

1.1.  Support to NFP/National Drug 
Observatories (NDO) building

Participation in the 2016 Reitox Week
High-level visit to the EMCDDA
National meetings with participation of the 
EMCDDA

Increased knowledge about the EMCDDA
IPA beneficiary countries have improved their 
national drug monitoring systems institutional 
capacity 

1.2.  Strengthening of the EU and international 
partnerships

Ad hoc input/review project proposals
Coordination and regular communication with 
international organisations, EU institutions and 
EU delegations
Contribution to the 2016 progress reports on 
the ‘enlargement package’

Support to strengthen National Drug 
Information Systems is coordinated among 
different players at EU and national levels

1.3.  Fulfil the IPA 5 contractual commitments

Mid-term activity report delivered on time

Mid-term activity report drafted and reported to 
the European Commission

1.4.  Implement the EMCDDA’s international 
cooperation strategy

Progress report on IPA 5 implementation 
delivered once to the Management Board

Progress report on IPA 5 implementation 
delivered once to the Management Board 

Specific objective 2. To foster scientific cooperation in relation to data collection, analysis and interpretation

2.1.  Direct support for data collection and 
reporting

National data collection exercises in line with 
the EMCDDA guidelines (e.g. GPS in 
Montenegro — see 3.1 below)

2.2.  Capacity development

3 Reitox Academies

2.3.  EU expert meetings

Ad hoc participation of IPA national experts in 
EU expert groups

2.4.  Support for development of national EWS 

Training and meetings on building national EWS 
(at request)

Increased availability of data on drugs in the IPA 
countries, as a result of financial support and 
knowledge transfer by project
New data sets available on drug situation and 
supply 

Increased capacity at national level (heads of 
existing/future NFPs and their staff, and 
national experts) for analysis, interpretation and 
implementation responses, as a result of the 
transfer of expertise through EMCDDA tools 
and methodologies; and best practices 

Increased exchange of information on the drug 
situation and related monitoring challenges 
between the EU Member States and CC and 
PCC

Countries that committed to establish a 
national EWS as part of their national action 
plan/strategy are provided with technical 
assistance and support, as requested 

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2016 ANNUAL WORK PROGRAMMEInterventions

Activities

Expected results

Specific objective 3. To develop, increase and promote the added value of the cooperation

3.1.  Developing the knowledge about the drugs 
situation in IPA beneficiaries

3.2.  Support to national strategies and action 
plans

Country Overviews are updated
Specific reports to EU sub-committees, EU 
political dialogue etc. upon request
Launch and publication of the GPS report of 
Montenegro (provided that the GPS is 
implemented in the country in 2016)
Promotion of the ESPAD results
2 articles published in Drugnet (EMCDDA 
newsletter)
EMCDDA key updated, methodological tools 
translated into national languages 

Sharing ‘know-how’ on evaluation of national 
drug strategies (upon request)
Ad hoc information to decision-makers on 
demand reduction, treatment, supply reduction 
and legal practices at EU level

Decision-makers at national and EU level are 
better informed on the drugs situation and on 
the need for interventions
By end 2016 updated Country Overviews are 
available on EMCDDA website

Information collected and produced by 
EMCDDA and by IPA beneficiaries support the 
implementation and evaluation of national 
strategies

3.3.  Promotion of the work of NFPs at national 
and European level

National websites and newsletters
Regular updates through the EMCDDA website 
and social media

Increased visibility and usefulness of the 
cooperation, the partnership and of the results 
at national and European level 

3.4.  National events

Presentation of EMCDDA products and 
activities at national level

Increased visibility and usefulness of the 
cooperation, the partnership and of the results 
at national and European level

I  II. ENP project

Interventions

Activities

Expected results

Specific objective 1. To support partner countries to produce new information on their drug situation

Update and extend Early Warning System 
(EWS) database

Re-structure, redesign and implement new 
functionalities in the EU Database on New 
Drugs (EDND) to make available analytical data, 
public health alerts and other relevant data on 
new psychoactive substances to ENP countries

The Early Warning System covers the new ENP 
partner countries for its ALERT component, 
which makes it more comprehensive and more 
accurate and enables effective exchange of 
information between EU Member States and 
ENP countries

Specific objective 2. To develop the capacity for monitoring and reporting

Training and capacity development using the 
model of Reitox Academy regional and national 
levels

National Reitox Academies to facilitate the 
implementation of the EMCDDA data collection 
framework 

Increased capacity for data collection, analysis 
and interpretation in the ENP countries, as a 
result of the knowledge transfer by the project

Regional events to consolidate existing 
monitoring

Meetings with regional stakeholders 

Specific objective 3. To strengthen the reporting and dissemination of the information

Publications on the drug situation in the ENPs 

Developmental meetings

National events

Dissemination of new or updated Country 
Overviews/National reports if they exist
Inclusion in EMCDDA products
Publications in the Drugnet newsletter
Translation reference of documents and new 
reports
Regular updates through the EMCDDA website

Participation/presentations in final project 
conference

Presentation of EMCDDA products and 
activities at national level
Ad hoc information to decision-makers on 
demand reduction, treatment, supply reduction 
and legal practices at EU level

Decision-makers at national and EU level are 
better informed on the drugs situation and on 
the needs for interventions

ENP partners and other Reitox members have a 
better knowledge and understanding of the 
drug situation and of the role of drug monitoring

Increased visibility and usefulness of 
cooperation, partnership and results at national 
and European level

Fulfil the ENP contractual commitments

Drafting of the final report within 6 months of 
termination of the project

Final activity report drafted and submitted on 
time to the European Commission

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2016 ANNUAL WORK PROGRAMMEI   ANNEX VIII 

List of acronyms and abbreviations

BCP

BPP

CADAP

CC

CEPOL

CICAD

Business Continuity Plan

Best practice portal

Central Asia Drug Action Programme

candidate countries

European Police College

Inter-American Drug Abuse Control Commission

COPOLAD

Cooperation Programme on Drugs Policies between 
the EU and Latin America

COSI

DG

Standing Committee on Operational Cooperation on 
Internal Security of the Council of the European Union

Directorate-General

DG HOME

Directorate-General for Migration and Home Affairs

DG SANTÉ

Directorate-General for Health and Food Safety

DRD

DRID

EC

ECDC

EDMR

EDND

EDR

EDRR

EEAS

EFCA 

EFSQ

EMA

drug-related deaths 

drug-related infectious diseases 

European Commission

European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control

EU Drug Markets Report

European Database on New Drugs

European Drug Report

European Drug Responses Report

European External Action Service

European Fisheries Control Agency

European Facility Survey Questionnaire

European Medicines Agency

EMCDDA 

European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug 
Addiction

EMQ

EMSA

ENP

ESPAD

EU

Eurojust

EWS

European Model Questionnaire

European Maritime Safety Agency

European Neighbourhood Policy

European School Survey Project on Alcohol and Other 
Drugs

European Union

the European Union’s judicial cooperation unit

Early Warning System

GPS

HDG

HFPs

HIV

HR

ICT

IPA

JHA

KPI

M&E

MIS

MoU

NFP

NPS

OAP

OSI

PCC

PDU

PhV

POD

PWID

RA

Reitox

SQ

ST

TAIEX

TDI

UNAIDS

UNGASS

UNODC

WHO

WP

general population survey(s)

Horizontal Drugs Group

heads of national focal points

human immunodeficiency virus

human resources

information and communications technology

Instrument for Pre-Accession Assistance

Justice and Home Affairs

key performance indicator

monitoring and evaluation

management information system

Memorandum of Understanding

national focal point

new psychoactive substances

operational action plan

open source information

potential candidate countries

problem drug use

pharmacovigilance

Perspectives on Drugs

people who inject drugs

risk assessment

European information network on drugs and drug 
addiction

Structured questionnaire

Standard table

Technical Assistance and Information Exchange

treatment demand indicator

Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS

UN General Assembly Special Session

United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime

World Health Organization

work programme

63 / 64

2016 ANNUAL WORK PROGRAMME2016–18 STRATEGY AND WORK PROGRAMME AND 2016 ANNUAL WORK PROGRAMME

Recommended citation:

European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction (2016), 2016–18 Strategy and 
work programme and 2016 annual work programme, Publications Office of the European 
Union, Luxembourg.

TD-AX-16-001-EN-N

About the EMCDDA

The European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction (EMCDDA) is the central 
source and confirmed authority on drug-related issues in Europe. For over 20 years, it has 
been collecting, analysing and disseminating scientifically sound information on drugs and 
drug addiction and their consequences, providing its audiences with an evidence-based 
picture of the drug phenomenon at European level.

The EMCDDA’s publications are a prime source of information for a wide range of 
audiences including: policymakers and their advisors; professionals and researchers 
working in the drugs field; and, more broadly, the media and general public. Based in 
Lisbon, the EMCDDA is one of the decentralised agencies of the European Union. 

Related publications

EMCDDA
I  2013–15 work programme and strategy

These and all other EMCDDA publications are available from  
www.emcdda.europa.eu/publications

Legal notice: The contents of this publication do not necessarily reflect the official opinions  
of the EMCDDA’s partners, the EU Member States or any institution or agency of the European Union.  
More information on the European Union is available on the Internet (www.europa.eu).

Luxembourg: Publications Office of the European Union
doi:10.2810/059065 I ISBN 978-92-9168-839-5 I ISSN (Collection): 2443-8111

© European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction, 2016
Reproduction is authorised provided the source is acknowledged.

This publication is available only in electronic format.

EMCDDA, Praça Europa 1, Cais do Sodré, 1249-289 Lisbon, Portugal
Tel. (351) 211 21 02 00 I info@emcdda.europa.eu
emcdda.europa.eu I twitter.com/emcdda I facebook.com/emcdda

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