CELEX: 51996PC0201
Language: en
Date: 1996-05-08
Title: Amended proposal for a EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND COUNCIL DECISION adopting a programme of Community action on the prevention of drug dependence within the framework for action in the field of public health (1996-2000)

***  I COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES
*** I
                                         Brussels, 08.05.1996
                                         COM(%) 201 final
                                         96/0128 (COD)
               OPINION OF THE COMMISSION
       pursuant to Article 189 b (2) (d) of the EC Treaty,
           on the European Parliament's amendments
        to the Council's common position regarding the
                          proposal for a
    EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND COUNCIL DECISION
         adopting a programme of Community action
             on the prevention of drug dependence
                within the framework for action
                   in the field of public health
                            (1996-2000)
     AMENDING THE PROPOSAL OF THE COMMISSION
         pursuant to Article 189 a (2) of the EC Treaty
 ---pagebreak---  ---pagebreak--- COMMISSION OPINION, delivered in accordance with Article 189b(2)(d) of the EC
Treaty, on the European Parliament amendments to the Council common position
relating to the proposal for a European Parliament and Council Decision adopting
a programme of Community action on the prevention of drug dependence within the
framework for action in the field of public health (1996-2000), amending the
Commission proposal
in accordance with Article 189a(2) of the EC Treaty
In its Communication of 24 November 1993 the Commission outlined a framework for
future action at Community level towards attaining the health protection objectives laid
down by Articles 3(o) and 129 of the Treaty establishing the European Community,
following the entry into force of the Treaty on European Union.
In initiating action under Article 129 the Community has to address the issue of
preventing disease and protecting health. Drug dependence is the only scourge specifically
mentioned in Article 129, and the Commission considered that its prevention was a
priority for Community action and should be made the subject of a specific programme.
This programme is also a key element of the Europoean Union action plan to combat
drugs.
This first Community action programme for the prevention of drug dependence is
designed to support Member States' actions and to step up European cooperation at each
stage of the prevention process (boosting awareness of the drugs phenomenon, identifying
risk situations, counselling and guidance, medical and social assistance), with a view to
preventing drug use, helping users to quit, reducing the mortality rate, reducing the risks
arising from drug use and combating marginalisation. The specific activities envisaged
are compatible with, and complementary to, other activities proposed within the public
health framework.
The Commission adopted its Decision on 21 June 1994 and transmitted the proposed
Decision to the European Parliament and the Council on 22 August 19941.
The Economic and Social Committee2 adopted its opinion on 22 February 1995. The
ESC supports the programme and the approach proposed by the Commission in its
Communication and its proposal for a Decision. It recommends that adequate resources
be spread over a long period and emphasises the need to support the evaluation of
ongoing research and existing practices, the promotion of innovative programmes, and
exchanges of information and experience.
 1
         OJ No C 257, 14 9.1994
2
         OJ No C 110, 2.5.1995
                                                                                          i- à- V-
 ---pagebreak--- The Committee of the Regions3 adopted its opinion on 16 November 1994. The
Committee supports the Commission proposal. It feels in particular that more resources
should be earmarked for education and drug demand reduction and emphasises the
importance of activities aimed at young addicts and groups who are difficult to reach, and
activities geared towards modifying risk behaviour, rehabilitation, and the informing of
regional and local communities.
The European Parliament4 adopted its opinion at the first reading on 20 September
1995, proposing 56 amendments to the Commission proposal. These amendments seek
to extend and add detail to the proposed decision, in particular by laying stress on:
         the importance of strategies to reduce the damage caused by drug abuse, as a
         complement to the strategies aimed at primary prevention;
         the need for the programme to fit within a strategy of combating social exclusion,
         and to take account of the social factors linked to drug use;
         the need for a series of actions in the areas of information, education, training and
         research, placing the accent on young persons and high-risk groups and listing the
         specific activities to be developed within the framework of other Community
         policies.
The Commission accepted 21 of the 56 amendments proposed by Parliament, either in
full or in part.
On 23 November 1995 the Commission adopted an amended proposal taking account of
the aforementioned Parliament amendments5.
On 20 December 1995 the Council unanimously adopted a common position with a view
to adopting the Decision in question.
 The Commission was unable to accept this common position and entered reservations
 concerning the following points:
          Article 3 (Budget): The Council wanted to reduce the overall budget for the five-
          year programme from MECU 28.5 to MECU 27. The Commission entered a
          reservation on this proposed reduction, especially since the common position
          provided both for more actions and for larger-scale actions than had the
          Commission's original proposal.
          Article 5 (Comitology): The Council wanted to introduce a dual, "mixed"
          procedure as regards the role of the Committee set up to assist the Commission
          in implementing the programme. This procedure, similar to that set up for the
          three programmes recently adopted on the basis of Article 129 (Health promotion;
          O J N O C 2 1 0 , 14.8.1994
          O J N O C 2 6 9 , 16.10.1995
          COM (95) 579 final
                                                                                               S
 ---pagebreak---         AIDS; Cancer), assigns the Committee "administrative" competence in six areas
        of activity, and "advisory" competence in a number of others. The Commission
        entered a reservation concerning this approach, affirming its preference for a
        purely advisory committee, and asked for a statement to this effect to be entered,
        in anticipation of the second reading by Parliament.
-       Annex (Actions to be implemented under the programme): The common
        position takes on board most of the amendments made by the Commission to its
        initial proposal in response to the Parliament amendments.
The amendments not included in the Council's common position chiefly concern:
-       the attention to be given to utilisation of the other Community policies and
        programmes (Action b of the Commission proposal); the inventorising of
        organisations involved in the care of drug addicts (Action d(3) of the Commission
        proposal); the recitals highlighting the value of a multidisciplinary approach (9b
        and 15b) and listing the partner organisations for the implementation of the
        programme (16a).
In view of the importance attached by Parliament to these aspects, the Commission
entered a reservation concerning their non-inclusion in the Council common position.
On 16 April 1996 the European Parliament adopted 23 amendments to the Council
common position.
The Commission's opinion concerning each of these amendments is given in the Annex.
The Commission points out that in accordance with Article 189b(3) of the Treaty if,
within three months of receiving the Parliament amendments, the Council, acting by a
qualified majority, approves all of the amendments, it shall amend its position accordingly
and adopt the act in question; however, the Council shall act unanimously on the
amendments on which the Commission has delivered a negative opinion. If the Council
does not approve the act in question, the President of the Council, in agreement with the
President of the European Parliament, shall forthwith convene a meeting of the
 Conciliation Committee.
                                                                                            £
 ---pagebreak---                                                ANNEX6
Amendment No 3: Commission opinion: partially accepted.
The Commission can accept this amendment in part and link it up with the preceding
recital, provided the wording concerning the objectives of a multidisciplinary approach
is made more general;
Amendment No 4: Commission opinion: rejected.
The text of the common position already refers to the impact of drug dependence on the
health of individuals.
Amendment No 5: Commission opinion: rejected.
Defining the objectives of drug addiction policy falls outside the scope of this
programme.
Amendment No 6: Commission opinion: accepted partially.
The reference to drug dependence as a sickness which can be prevented and treated
confirms the wisdom of tackling this scourge from a public health prospective, as
provided for in Article 129.
Amendment No 7: Commission opinion: accepted partially.
This amendment describes the objective of the programme more precisely, and the
Commission accepts it provided that it mentions narcotics and psychotropic substances
only (these being illicit drugs) and that, as regards the abuse of alcohol and
pharmaceutical products, it takes account of the initiatives implemented in the context of
the Community action programme on health promotion.
Amendment No 8: Commission opinion: rejected.
The recommendation in this amendment lies outside the scope of the programme. It is the
responsibility of the national authorities to distinguish, if they so wish, between soft and
hard drugs.
Amendment No 9: Commission opinion: rejected.
The recommendation in this amendment lies outside the scope of this programme. The
spirit of this amendment is reflected more specifically in the statement of the
programme's objective (amendment 7).
Amendment No 10: Commission opinion: accepted partially.
The Commission can partially accept this amendment if it is worded in a more general
way, identifying the prison environment as one of the priority environments for
preventive action.
Amendment No 11: Commission opinion: rejected.
         The numbering of the amendments corresponds to the numbering of the Recommendation for second
         reading - Doc. A4-93 EP 198.341, and to the position of the amendments in relation to the text of the
         common position.
                                                                                                               9-
 ---pagebreak---  The measures envisaged in this amendment lie outside the scope of the programme.
Amendment No 12: Commission opinion: accepted.
 A horizontal question: the amendment corresponds to the texts of the decisions on the
three programmes recently adopted on the basis of Article 129 (Cancer; Health
promotion; AIDS).
Amendment No 13: Commission opinion: rejected.
This amendment does not take account of the principle of subsidiarity; it contains a very
specific and restrictive reference to certain categories of organisations, which, moreover,
are covered by amendment 15.
Amendment No 15: Commission opinion: accepted.
This amendment adds a non-exhaustive reference to the types of organisation which could
participate in the implementation of the programme.
Amendment No 17: Commission opinion: accepted partially.
A horizontal question: the Commission can accept the first part of the amendment, which
corresponds to the texts of the decisions on the three programmes recently adopted on the
basis of Article 129.
Amendment No 18: Commission opinion: rejected.
The EDMC's tasks and operating methods are laid down in the Regulation establishing
the EDMC and cannot be modified through this programme.
Amendment No 19: Commission opinion: rejected.
The Commission has entered general reservations concerning the comitology approach
proposed in the common position and cannot accept this amendment since it implies
acceptance of the Council's position.
Amendment No 21: Commission opinion: rejected.
The Commission has entered general reservations concerning the comitology approach
proposed in the common position and cannot accept this amendment since it implies
acceptance of the Council's position. Additionally, the reference to the informing of the
European Parliament was made by means of a declaration when the decisions were taken
on the three other programmes recently adopted in the public health framework.
Amendment No 23: Commission opinion: rejected.
The action envisaged by this amendment falls outside the scope of the programme.
Amendment No 24: Commission opinion: rejected.
The Commission considers that the areas of activity covered by this amendment are
already covered by the Council text.
Amendment No 26: Commission opinion: partially accepted.
The Commission can accept a reference to the relatives and guardians of drug addicts
provided this is worded in general terms, as follows: "measures to assist persons living
                                                                                            2
 ---pagebreak--- with them". The financing of projects to provide training or employment for drug addicts
falls outside the scope of this programme.
Amendment No 27: Commission opinion: accepted partially.
The Commission can accept a non-exhaustive mention of the relevant environments for
reaching out to young people. The Commission considers that involving young people in
the prevention actions is covered by the Council text. Support for programmes to teach
young people social skills falls under the scope of the health promotion action
programme.
Amendment No 28: Commission opinion: accepted partially.
The Commission can accept a reference to promoting recourse to the expertise of persons
liable to come into contact with groups of potential users.
Amendment No 29: Commission opinion: rejected.
The action envisaged by this amendment partially overlaps with the provisions relating
to the objective and implementation of the programme.
Amendment No 31: Commission opinion: accepted partially.
This amendment assimilates into the programme's palette of measures the promotion of
multidisciplinary cooperation for prevention purposes, which tallies with the approach
defined during the discussions on drug demand reduction in the context of the European
Union Action Plan to Combat Drugs.
                                                                                         ?
 ---pagebreak---                    AMENDED PROPOSAL
FOR A EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND COUNCIL DECISION
  ADOPTING A PROGRAMME OF COMMUNITY ACTION
      ON THE PREVENTION OF DRUG DEPENDENCE
     WITHIN THE FRAMEWORK FOR ACTION IN THE
           FIELD OF PUBLIC HEALTH (1996-2000)
(presented by the Commission in accordance with Article 189a(2)
                      of the EC Treaty)
                                                                Lv
 ---pagebreak--- COUNCIL COMMON POSITION                    MODIFICATIONS PROPOSED
Having regard to the Treaty establishing
the European Community, and in
particular Article 129 thereof,
Having regard to the proposal from the
Commission1,
Having regard to the Opinion of the
Economic and Social Committee2,
Having regard to the Opinion of the
Committee of the Regions3,
Acting in accordance with the procedure
laid down in Article 189b of the Treaty4,
(1)     Whereas drug dependence has
        grown alarmingly in the Member
        States and has serious
        implications for the health of
        individuals and the welfare of the
        general public;
(1)     OJNoC257, 14.9.1994, p. 4.
(2)     OJNoC 110, 2.5.1995, p. 8.
(3)     OJ No C 210, 14.8.1995, p. 88.
(4)     Opinion of the European
        Parliament of 20 September
         1995, Council common position
        of 20 December 1995 (OJ No
        C269, 16.10.1995, p. 65) and
        Decision of the European
        Parliament of (OJ No C 37,
        9.2.1996, p. 1) (not yet published
        in the Official Journal).
                                                                  /(
 ---pagebreak--- (2) Whereas, in creating in 1985 a
    Committee of Inquiry into the
    problem of drugs in the Member
    States of the European
    Community, the European
    Parliament demonstrated its
    desire to study in depth the
    factors which trigger drug
    demand and enable drugs to
    continue being produced and
    distributed;
(3) W h e r e a s        in      its
    resolutions concerning       this
               1
    problem        the    European
    Parliament formulated a series of
    proposals with a view, in
    particular, to Community action
    on the prevention of drug
    dependence;
(4) Whereas the European Council,
    at its meeting in Dublin on 25
    and 26 June 1990, "stressed the
    responsibility of each Member
    State to develop an appropriate
    drug demand           reduction
    programme" and "considered that
    effective action by each Member
    State, supported by joint action
    of the Twelve and the
    Community, should be a main
    priority over the coming years";
(1) OJ No C 172, 2.7.1984, p. 130.
    OJNoC283, 10.11.1986, p. 79.
    OJ No C 47, 27.2.1989, p. 51.
    OJNoC 150, 15. 6.1992, p. 42.
                                      IL
 ---pagebreak--- (5) Whereas the actions undertaken
    at Community level on the basis
    of C o u n c i l R e s o l u t i o n s ,
    declarations and conclusions
    relating to the prevention of drug
    dependence, and in particular
    subsequent to the emphasis
    placed by the European Council,
    meeting in Rome on 14 and
    15 December 1990, on the
    European Plan to Combat Drugs,
    have helped to sustain the
    Member States' efforts;
(6) Whereas the Council, in its
    Resolution of 2 June 19941, in
    response to the Commission
    communication of 24 November
    1993 on a framework for action
    in the field of public health,
    included drug dependence among
    the priority areas for Community
    action for which the Commission
    was invited to bring forward
    proposals for action;
(7) Whereas Regulation (EEC)
    No 302/93 2 established               a
    European Monitoring Centre on
    Drugs and Drug Addiction to
    provide the Community and the
    Member States with reliable and
    comparable           information
    concerning drugs and drug
    addiction;
(1) O J N o C 165, 17.6.1994, p. 1.
(2) O J N o L 3 6 , 12.2.1993, p. 1.
                                             (J
 ---pagebreak--- (8)   Whereas the declaration on the
      occasion of the entry into force
      of the Treaty on European Union
      adopted by the European
      Council, meeting in Brussels on
      29 October 1993, emphasized
      that the Treaty provides "a
      structured         institutional
      framework, so that in particular
      greater control can be achieved
      over those of society's problems
      that run across frontiers, such as
      drugs (...)";
(9)   Whereas the problems associated
      with the drugs phenomenon are
      such that they require a fully
      coordinated and global strategy,
      as stated by the European
      Council, meeting in Brussels on
       10 and 11 December 1993;
                                          9a. (New)
                                          Whereas a multidisciplinary approach
                                          should in particular ensure that the social
                                          and personal implications of the
                                          phenomenon are taken into account:
 (10)  Whereas drug dependence is the
       only scourge expressly referred to
       in the provisions of the Treaty
       dealing with public health and is
       therefore a priority           for
       Community action within the
       framework for action in the field
       of public health set out by the
       Commission;
                                          10a. (New)
                                          Whereas drug dependence is a sickness
                                          which can be prevented and treated:
 (11)  Whereas this programme is one
       of the essential components of
       the Commission communication
       to the European Parliament and
       the Council of 23 June 1994 on a
        European Union Action Plan to
        combat drugs (1995-1999), on
        which the Council commented in
        its conclusions of 2 June 1995;
                                                                                      <<<
 ---pagebreak--- (12) Whereas, by reason of its scale
     and effects, Community action to
     encourage support for the
     prevention of drug dependence
     will make a better contribution to
     achieving the desired objectives,
     which come within the
     framework of Article 129 of the
     Treaty, in particular the second
     subparagraph of paragraph 1
     thereof;
(13) Whereas cooperation with the
     competent         international
     organizations        and     with
     non-member countries should be
     strengthened;
(14) Whereas a multiannual
     programme should be launched
     with clear objectives for
     Community action, and priority
     measures should be selected, as
     well as appropriate mechanisms
     for the evaluation of such action,
     with a view to preventing drug
     dependence and the associated
     problems;
(15) Whereas the programme should       15. Whereas the programme should
     have the objective of helping to       have as its objective to contribute
     combat drug dependence by              to the enhancement of awareness
     preventing dependence linked to        of the use of narcotics and
     the use of narcotics and               psychotropic substances and the
     psychotropic substances and            associated use of other products
     associated use of other products       for the purposes of drug
     for the purposes of drug               addiction, and to improve
     addiction;                             recognition of risk situations,
                                            early detection, counselling and
                                            advice, health and social support,
                                            with a view to preventing drug
                                            use, facilitating the cessation of
                                            drug use, lowering the mortality
                                            rate, reducing the risks of
                                            infection by agents of infection
                                            and reducing marginalisation:
(16) Whereas there is a need to
     improve knowledge of the
     phenomenon of drugs and drug
     dependence          and     their
                                                                                rr
 ---pagebreak---       consequences, and of the ways
      and means of preventing drug
      addiction and the associated
      risks;
(17)  Whereas there is a need both for
      general preventive action and for
      preventive measures focusing on
      specific target groups,
      particularly the young and
      marginal groups, while avoiding
      stereotypes of drug users;
                                         17a. (New)
                                         Whereas the prison environment is one
                                         of the priority environments for
                                         preventive action:
(18)  Whereas it is important that the
      Commission               ensure
      implementation          of   this
      programme in close cooperation
      with the Member States; whereas,
      to that end, provision should be
      made for a procedure to
      ensure that Member States are
      fully involved in implementing
       the programme;
 (19)  Whereas a "modus vivendi"
       b e t w e e n the     European
       Parliament, the Council and the
       Commission concerning the
       implementing measures for acts
       adopted in accordance with the
       procedure laid down in
       Article 189b of the Treaty was
       concluded on 20 December 1994;
 (20)  Whereas, from an operational
        point of view, the investment
        made in previous years should be
        safeguarded and developed;
 (21)   Whereas, however, possible
        duplication of effort should be
        avoided by the promotion of the
        exchange of experience and by
        the joint development of basic
        information modules for the
        general public, for health
        education and for training
                                                                               IL
 ---pagebreak---         members of the health-care
        professions, which may be
        targeted on specific groups;
(22)    Whereas the objectives of this
        programme and of the actions
        undertaken to implement it form
        part of the health protection
        requirements referred to in the
        third paragraph of Article 129(1)
        of the Treaty and as such form a
        constituent part of the
        Community's other policies;
(23)    Whereas, in order to increase the
        value and impact of the
        programme, a continuous
        assessment of the measures
        undertaken should be carried out,
        with particular regard to their
        effectiveness and the achievement
        of objectives both at national
        level and Community level, and,
        where appropriate, the necessary
        adjustments should be made;
(24)    Whereas thi s Deci si on 1 ay s down,
        for the entire duration of the
        programme, a financial
        framework constituting the
        principal point of reference,
       within the meaning of point 1 of
       the Declaration of the European
       Parliament, the Council and
        Commission of 6 March 1995,
       for the budgetary authority during
       the annual budgetary procedure;
(25)   Whereas this programme should
       run for five years in order to
        allow sufficient time for actions
       to be implemented to achieve the
        objectives set,
HAVE DECIDED AS FOLLOWS:
                 Article 1
    Establishment of the programme
                                              f+
 ---pagebreak---   1. A programme of Community action
 on the prevention of drug dependence,
 hereinafter referred to as "the
 programme", shall be adopted for the
 period 1 January 1996 to 31 December
 2000 within the framework for action in
 the field of public health.
 2.    The objective of the programme
 shall be to help in combating drug
 dependence, in particular by encouraging
 cooperation between the Member States,
 supporting their action and promoting
 coordination between their policies and
programmes with a view to preventing
dependence linked to the use of narcotics
and psychotropic substances and
associated use of other products for the
purposes of drug addiction.
3. The actions to be implemented under
the programme and their specific
objectives are set out in the Annex under
the following headings:
A.       Data, research, evaluation
B.       Information, health education and
         training.
                   Article 2
               Implementation
1. The Commission shall ensure the
implementation, in close cooperation
with the Member States, of the actions
set out in the Annex, in accordance with
Article 5.
2.     The Commission shall cooperate      2.     The Commission shall cooperate
with the institutions and organizations    with the institutions and organizations
which are active in the field of drug      which are active in the field of drug
demand reduction.                          demand reduction; in particular, it shall
                                           encourage participation in the
                                           implementation of the programme by
                                           public and private bodies, non-
                                           governmental organisations (NGOs).
                                           volunteers and therapy or social welfare
                                           communities.
                                                                                     a
 ---pagebreak--- 3. The Member States are called upon
to take the measures they judge
necessary to coordinate and organize the
implementation of this programme at
national level.
                Article 3
                                         (i)
                 Budget
1.    The financial framework for the
implementation of the programme for the
period referred to in Article 1 shall be
ECU 27 million.
2. The annual appropriations shall be
authorized by the budgetary authority
within the limits of the financial
perspective.
                                         (1) The Commission maintains a
                                             reservation concerning this
                                             Article.
                                                                         f?
 ---pagebreak---                   Article 4
    Consistency and complementarity
 1. The Commission and the Member          1.      The Commission shall ensure that
States shall ensure that there is         there is consistency and complementarity
consistency and complementarity           between actions to be implemented under
between actions to be implemented under   this programme and other relevant
this programme and other relevant         Community programmes and initiatives,
Community programmes and initiatives,     including         the   "SOCRATES",
including        the     "SOCRATES",      "LEONARDO DA VINCI" and "Youth
"LEONARDO DA VINCI" and "Youth            for Europe (III)" programmes and the
for Europe (III)" programmes and the      biomedical and health research
biomedical and health research            programme under the Community's
programme under the Community's           framework programme for research.
framework programme for research.
2. The Commission shall also ensure
that the activities implemented take into
account the work of the European
Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug
Addiction (EDMC). It shall also ensure,
together with the Member States, that the
Community's priorities and needs are
taken into due account in the
EDMC's programmes.
3. The Commission and the Member
States shall ensure consistency with the
European Union's Action Plan to combat
drugs.
                                          (i)
                  Article 5
                Committee
1.      Commission shall be assisted by
a Committee consisting of two members
designated by each Member State and
chaired by the representative of the
Commission.
                                          (1)      The Commission maintains a
                                                   reservation concerning this
                                                   Article.
                                                                                    2a
 ---pagebreak---  2.     The representative of the
 Commission shall submit to the
 Committee a draft of the measures to be
taken concerning:
 (a)    the    Committee's      rules   of
procedure;
(b)     an annual work programme
        indicating the priorities for
        action;
(c)     the arrangements, criteria and
        procedures for selecting and
        financing projects under the
        programme, including those
        involving cooperation with
        international organizations having
        responsibility in the field of
        public health and participation of
        the countries referred to in
        Article 6(2);
(d)     the evaluation procedure;
(e)     the a r r a n g e m e n t s    for
        dissemination and transfer of
        results;
(f)     the arrangements for cooperating
        with the institutions and
        organizations referred to in
        Article 2(2).
The Committee shall deliver its opinion
on the draft measures referred to above
within a time limit which the Chairman
may lay down according to the urgency
of the matter. The opinion shall be
delivered by the majority laid down in
Article 148(2) of the Treaty in the case
of decisions which the Council is
required to adopt on a proposal from the
Commission.        The votes of the
representatives of the Member States
within the Committee shall be weighted
in the manner set out in that Article.
The Chairman shall not vote.
The Commission shall adopt measures
which shall apply immediately.
                                           li
 ---pagebreak--- However, if these measures are not in
accordance with the opinion of the
Committee, they shall be communicated
by the Commission to the Council
forthwith. In that event:
-       the Commission shall defer
        application of the measures
        which it has decided upon for a
        period of two months from the
        date of such communication,
-       the Council, acting by a qualified
        majority, may take a different
        decision within the time limit
        referred to in the first indent.
3. In addition, the Commission may
consult the Committee on any other
matter concerning the implementation of
the programme.
The representative of the Commission
shall submit to the Committee a draft of
the measures to be taken.               The
Committee shall deliver its opinion on
the draft within a time limit which the
Chairman may lay down according to the
urgency of the matter, if necessary by
taking a vote.
The opinion shall be recorded in the
minutes; in addition, each Member State
shall have the right to ask to have its
opinion recorded in the minutes.
The Commission shall take the utmost
account of the opinion delivered by the
Committee.        It shall inform the
Committee of the manner in which its
opinion has been taken into account.
4. The Commission representative shall
keep the Committee regularly informed
about:
-       financial assistance granted under
        this programme (amounts,
        duration,      breakdown        and
        beneficiaries),
                                            ?z
 ---pagebreak---         Commission proposals or
        Community initiatives and the
        implementation of programmes in
        other areas which are directly
        relevant to the achievement of
        the objectives of the programme,
        with a view to ensuring the
        consistency and complementarity
        referred to in Article 4.
                 Article 6
        International cooperation
1. In the course of implementing the
programme,         cooperation       with
non-member countries and with
international     organizations having
responsibility in the field of public
health shall be encouraged and
implemented in accordance with the
procedure laid down in Article 5.
In particular, the Commission shall
cooperate with the Council of Europe's
Pompidou Group, with international
intergovernmental organizations such as
the World Health Organization (WHO),
the United Nations Educational,
Scientific           and      Cultural
Organization (UNESCO),                 the
International Labour Organization (ILO)
and with the United Nations International
Drug Control Programme (UNIDCP).
2.    The programme shall be open to
participation by the associated countries
of Central and Eastern Europe (ACCEE)
in accordance with the conditions laid
down in the Additional Protocols to the
Association Agreements, to be concluded
with those countries,           concerning
participation in Community programmes.
The programme shall be open to
participation by Cyprus and Malta on the
basis of additional appropriations in
accordance with the same rules as those
applied to the EFTA countries, in
accordance with procedures to be agreed
with those countries.
                                           l>
 ---pagebreak---                  Article 7
        Monitoring and evaluation
 1.     The Commission, taking into
account the reports drawn up by the
Member States and with the
participation, where necessary, of
independent experts, shall ensure that an
evaluation is made of the actions
undertaken.
2. The Commission shall submit to the
European Parliament and the Council an
interim report halfway through the
programme and a final report on
completion thereof. The Commission
shall incorporate into those reports the
results of the evaluations. It shall also
send the reports to the Economic and
Social Committee and the Committee of
the Regions.
                                          aCH
 ---pagebreak--- ANNEX
PROGRAMME OF COMMUNITY
ACTION
ON THE PREVENTION OF DRUG
DEPENDENCE
A. DATA. RESEARCH. EVALUATION
   Objective
   To improve knowledge of the
   phenomenon of drugs and drug
   dependence and its consequences and
   of means and methods of preventing
   drug dependence and the risks relating
   thereto, in particular by using the
   information supplied by the EDMC
   and the possibilities offered by
   existing Community programmes and
   instruments.
   Actions
   1. Help identify the data to be
       collected,       analysed       and
       disseminated for the purposes of
       the programme, including data on
       polysubstance dependence.
   2. Exploit the data most useful for
       the implementation of the
       programme, on the basis in
       particular       of a regular
       communication of the work of
       the EDMC.
   3. Help develop a strategy for
       research on the prevention of drug
       dependence, in particular to
       improve knowledge as regards the
       impact in the public health sphere
       of policies targeting drug users and
       on the effects of drugs and the use
       of appropriate techniques for
       preventive purposes.
   4. Support studies and pilot projects
       on     the     socio-economic,
                                            V
 ---pagebreak---        socio-cultural                 and
       psycho-sociological         factors
       associated with drug dependence,
       including in target groups.
   5. Support studies and actions and
       promote the exchange of
       experience on ways and means of
       preventing the risks associated
       with drug dependence, in
       particular for:
      - preventing, in drug-dependent
          pregnant women, the effects of
          drugs on the foetus and the risks
          of transmitting infections to the
          child,
       - reducing the risks associated
          with the injection of drugs,
       - making an assessment of
          accompanying health measures,
          in particular       substitution
          programmes,
       - evaluating methods and
          programmes for prevention and
          risk reduction in the
          management of drug-dependent
          prisoners.
   6. Encourage the exchange of                 Encourage the exchange of
       information and experience on            information and experience on
       preventing drug addiction relapses,      preventing drug addiction relapses,
       including the rehabilitation of drug     including the rehabilitation of drug
       users.                                   users, and on ways of assisting
                                                persons living with them:
B. I N F O R M A T I O N .      HEALTH
   EDUCATION AND TRAINING
   Objective                                Objective
   Contribute to improving information,     Contribute to improving information,
   education and training aimed at          education and training aimed at
   preventing drug dependence and the       preventing drug dependence and the
                                                                                     U
 ---pagebreak---     associated risks, in particular for       associated risks, in particular for young
    young people and particularly             people in the relevant environments (for
    vulnerable groups.                        example home, school, university and
                                              leisure time) and particularly vulnerable
                                              groups.
(a) Information and health education
    Actions
    7. Support schemes to evaluate the
        effectiveness of information and
        health education campaigns and
        carry out regular public opinion
        surveys via Eurobarometer to
        monitor changes in Europeans'
        attitudes towards drugs.
    8. Organize further European Drug
        Prevention Weeks on the basis of
        previous experience.
    9. Help identify, test and develop the
        best information and educational
        tools and methods for target
        groups, and in particular:
        - encourage the use of
           information tailored to particular
           environments or circles, taking
           account of changes in patterns
           of use and products used, and of
           the phenomenon                 of
            polysubstance dependence,
        - support schemes to adapt
            messages to the needs and
            specific features of particularly
            vulnerable groups,
         - support the development of
            telephone help line services and
            consider the feasibility of
            introducing a single telephone
            number for such services in all
            Member States.
                                                                                        Vr
 ---pagebreak--- 10.  Help to define guidelines on the   10. Help to define guidelines on the
     prevention of drug abuse and           prevention of drug abuse and foster
     foster the selection and use of        the selection and use. of teaching
     teaching methods and materials,        methods and materials, in particular
     in particular within the context       within the context of the European
     of the European network of             network of health-promoting schools,
     health-promoting schools, in           in order to develop attitudes in
     order to develop attitudes in          young people which will enable
     young people which will enable         them to avoid drugs and drug
     them to avoid drugs and drug           addiction; support integrated
     addiction; support integrated          projects, programmes and other drug
     projects, programmes and other         prevention initiatives in places
     drug prevention initiatives in         frequented by children and young
     places frequented by children          people, with the participation
     and young people, with the             wherever possible of parents and
     participation wherever possible        those concerned; promote recourse to
     of parents and those concerned.        the expertise of persons liable to
                                            come into contact with groups of
                                            potential users.
11.  Encourage exchanges of
      experience on initiatives aimed
      at improving coordination
     between all those involved in
      the provision of education.
12.   Support schemes for advising
      teachers, families and those
      responsible for young people on
      the early detection of the use of
      drugs and the action to take.
 13.  In cooperation with the EDMC
      and the Council of Europe,
      encourage if need be, the
      extension of the European
      network of "test towns", so as to
      promote technical cooperation
       on the ways and means used by
       these towns to reduce drug
       demand.
 14.   Support exchanges of
       experience, particularly on a
       regional cross-border basis,
       concerning local prevention
       initiatives. Support exchanges
                                                                                 U
 ---pagebreak---           of experience on prevention
          models and practices involving
          towns in different Member
          States which are particularly
          affected by the problem of
          drugs.
(b) Training
    15.   Promote initiatives to improve
          the drug prevention aspect of
         vocational training programmes
          for teachers and           those
          responsible for young people
          and encourage exchanges of
          students training for the social
          and health-care professions,
          including exchanges under other
          Community programmes.
    16.   Support the development of       16. Support the development of
          further-training    programmes,      further-training      programmes,
          teaching materials and modules       teaching materials and modules for
          for those likely to come into        those likely to come into contact
          contact with drug users and          with drug users and groups at risk,
          groups at risk, including in         including in particular social work,
          particular       social   work,      health-care, police and other
          health-care, police and other        law-enforcement       professionals;
          law-enforcement professionals.       promote       multidisciplinary
                                               cooperation with a view to
                                               preventing drug dependence.
                                                                                    21-\c
 ---pagebreak---  ---pagebreak---                                                                     ISSN 0254-1475
                                                             COM(96) 201 final
                                              DOCUMENTS
EN                                                                             05
                                     Catalogue number : CB-C0-96-213-EN-C
                                                              ISBN 92-78-03868-7
Office for Official Publications of the European Communities
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