Brussels, 18/09/2008 (Agence Europe) - On Thursday 18 September 2008, the European Commission adopted a four-year (2009-2012) action plan to intensify the fight against drugs use in the EU. While, under the Treaties, drugs policy remains principally an area of national responsibility, this plan proposes measures to improve European cooperation in order to reduce the harm caused by drug use and cut drug-related crime. “It's about working together to improve our common response to a problem that concerns every member state. Our member states have to come to a more uniform approach,” said Justice, Security and Liberty Commissioner Jacques Barrot in a press conference. He noted that European efforts on combating drug misuse had paid dividends since, according to the latest figures from the European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction (EMCDDA), use of heroin, cannabis and designer drugs was falling. The use of cocaine is, however, on the increase in a number of countries (United Kingdom, Spain, France). “We have, however, somewhat curbed this phenomenon, but we have to do better,” Barrot said, pointing out that, in the EU, there are 2 million drug users and, every year, around 7,500 people die from drug overdoses.
The action plan for 2009-2012 builds on the existing approach of the EU drugs strategy 2005-2012 which set out a European model for drugs policy based on a balanced approach to reduce both supply and demand for drugs. The five main priorities of the new action plan include reducing the demand for drugs and raising public awareness, mobilising European citizens, reducing the supply of drugs, improving international cooperation and facilitating a better understanding of the drugs phenomenon. “Three key points” underpin the plan, Barrot stated. Firstly, member states will have to take a “globalising strategy”, by adopting better planned and more convergent approaches in areas such as rehabilitation, risk reduction, prevention and cutting supply. Then police and customs operations have to be set up to break the drugs import routes. In addition to ordinary cooperation, these operations will be able to count on the support of Europol, Eurojust, the Lisbon-based Maritime Analysis and Operations Centre-Narcotics (MOAC-N) which coordinates anti-drug enforcement efforts along the EU's Atlantic seaboard, and the Anti-Drug Coordination Centre for the Mediterranean (CECLAD) which will be opened in Toulon on 24 September. The third pillar of the plan is the involvement of civil society, through, for example, the creation of a European Alliance on Drugs to raise awareness among young people, and also in companies and local authorities of the harm caused by drugs. With reference to the European Road Safety Charter, Barrot said that all public service players and drugs NGOs should work to launch specific initiatives. He called, in particular, for initiatives to be taken to prevent multiple addiction (drugs and alcohol) and driving while under the influence of drugs. He quoted, as an example, the EU-funded DRUID programme which is developing a drug-driving test, just as there is a drink-driving test. “We have to ban all drug-taking by drivers. Young people who have smoked a joint may, without realising it, present major risks,” Barrot noted. The last point he made was on the launch before summer of a wide-ranging campaign against drugs misuse, with well-known singers and actors being invited to become involved. The EU drugs action plan for 2009-2012 will be presented to the Council and is expected to be adopted before the end of the year. (B.C./transl.rt)