Negotiators from the European Parliament and the Council of the EU agreed, on Tuesday 28 March, on the scope of the new European Drugs Agency, which will transform the current European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction into a fully-fledged agency and strengthen its role, the two institutions said in a statement.
With this regulation, the Agency will be able to respond more effectively to the new health and safety challenges posed by illicit drugs. It will also be in a better position to support Member States and contribute to the improvement of the international situation.
The collection, analysis and dissemination of data will continue to be the main task of the Agency, which, under its strengthened mandate, will also be able to develop a comprehensive health and security threat assessment capability to identify emerging threats at an early stage and to conduct regular foresight exercises to identify future challenges.
The regulation will enable it to specifically cover poly-substance use, strengthen its cooperation with national focal points, and set up a network of laboratories that will allow the agency to access forensic and toxicological information, the statement added.
The regulation will also clarify the Agency’s role in the field of international cooperation, so that it can fully engage with third countries and organisations. (Original version in French by Solenn Paulic)