Brussels, 26/10/2011 (Agence Europe) - The European Commission wants to review EU rules on illegal drugs, in particular new psychoactive substances which mimic the effects of ecstasy and cocaine, it announced in a communication on Tuesday 25 October. It will bring forward a legislative package within the next two years, including a review of Framework Decision 2004/757 on drug trafficking, proposals on the chemicals used in the production of these drugs and minimum standards to improve prevention and treatment. Before the end of 2011, the Commission will also table legislative proposals on organised crime, aiming to confiscate or freeze assets. This initiative will be taken forward by Commissioner Cecilia Malmström.
Commission Vice-President Viviane Reding, speaking in Strasbourg, set out Commission plans to curb the increasing popularity of synthetic drugs. In 2010, the EU indentified “a record number of 41 such substances, up from 24 the previous year” the Commission says in a press release. “These drugs are increasingly available over the internet and have rapidly spread in many member states, which face difficulties in preventing their sale. More new drugs are entering the market. Over the past two years, one new substance has emerged every week”, it goes on.
The Commission believes that member states cannot stop the spread of drugs alone as clampdowns at national level may simply force criminals to move drug production to neighbouring countries or to shift trafficking routes, it says. With the Lisbon Treaty, the EU has new tools to address the drugs problem. The Commission intends to develop clearer and stronger rules.
Over the coming two years, the Commission will table: - “stronger EU legislation on new psychoactive substances so that the EU can provide a faster response, including the possibility of temporary bans, as well as tackling their sale over the internet”, the press release goes on to say; - new EU legislation to target cross-border trafficking in drugs by means of criminal law: the Commission will improve the definition of offences and sanctions and introduce stronger reporting obligations for member states; - new EU laws to strengthen control over chemicals used in drugs production; - more effective rules to deprive drug traffickers of their financial gains: in the coming weeks, the Commission will propose rules on the confiscation and recovery of assets involved in serious crime, including drug trafficking; - more cooperation at international level, especially with transit and producing countries outside the EU, as well as with countries considered as major entry points for drugs in Europe. (SP/transl.rt)