EMCDDA news

The Centre's ELDD has published an updated Topic Overview on the legislation applicable to personal use of cannabis across the EU. The table represents a 'legal map' of how different countries throughout Europe punish the criminal offence of personal cannabis possession.

31.10.2006President of the European Commission José Manuel Durão Barroso paid his first visit to the EU drugs agency (EMCDDA) today. Meeting with EMCDDA Director Wolfgang Götz and members of the agency’s scientific and administrative staff, the President of the Commission was presented with the latest overview of the European drug phenomenon ahead of the upcoming launch of the 2006 Annual report on the state of the drugs problem in Europe. The report will be presented at a press conference at the European Parliament on 23 November. For more on today’s visit, see Fact sheet No4/2006 .

Country situation summaries provide a quick, structured overview of the trends and characteristics of national drug problems.

‘How effective is the EMCDDA?’ is one of the questions posed in the latest edition of Drugnet Europe in the context of an ongoing evaluation of the agency. Now readers of the newsletter are given the chance to ‘have their say’ (see p. 5). Also covered in this edition are: the new remit of the EMCDDA; a progress review of the EU drugs action plan (2005–2008); Management Board elections; and new EMCDDA work programmes (2007 and 2007–2009). Upcoming products are also showcased including: a new series of drug profiles; a prison health database; a drug treatment demand toolkit and an online register of research. More .

To mark International Women’s Day (8 March), the EMCDDA is highlighting a number of issues surrounding gender differences in drug use and drug addiction, including reflections on drug use and ethnic minority women. Understanding gender differences in drug use in Europe is a critical requirement to developing effective and tailored responses. The hidden nature of drug use among ethnic minority women means that the problems they face pass relatively unrecognised and undocumented.

Today the EMCDDA hosts a meeting of the Maritime Analysis and Operation Centre–Narcotics (MAOC–N), an operational body being set up to tackle maritime drug smuggling in Europe. Currently in its developmental phase, MAOC–N will be fully established in Lisbon later this year.

As of today, objective and scientifically sound descriptions of internationally controlled drugs will be available on the EMCDDA website in the form of ‘ drug profiles ’ in German, English and French. See Fact sheet .

The EMCDDA has published a comprehensive review of the literature on treatment of problem cocaine use. The review covers: pharmacological and psychosocial treatment, harm reduction, inpatient treatment and aftercare. More

This new online version of the EMCDDA newsletter offers readers added value in the form of: a quick overview of the latest EMCDDA news; links to full articles and downloading options; easy access to source documents; and shortcuts to related EMCDDA projects and partner organisations. More

Published today, the latest edition in the EMCDDA's policy briefing series Drugs in focus. This issue tackles the subject: Hallucinogenic mushrooms: the challenge of responding to naturally occurring substances in an electronic age. A news release is available.

(13.6.2007, LISBON) A formal risk-assessment exercise on the drug BZP, carried out by the EMCDDA Scientific Committee with participation of additional experts from the European Commission, Europol and the European Medicines Agency (EMEA), has resulted in a risk-assessment report which was submitted to the European Commission and Council on 4 June. More...

The EMCDDA has just published its General report of activities . This document presents the Centre's achievements in each area of its 2006 annual work programme.

(06.06.07) No AST.2007.05 -Planning and reporting support officer (assistant) . Deadline: 2 July 2007.
(20.06.07) No AD.2007.02 - Analyst - Drug supply reduction. Deadline: 19 July 2007.
(20.06.07) No AD.2007.03 - Statistician. Deadline: 19 July 2007.
(20.06.07) No AD.2007.04 Drug analyst - Scientific writer. Deadline: 19 July 2007.
(20.06.07) No AD.2007.07 - Drug analyst. Deadline: 19 July 2007.

(25.6.2007, LISBON) Sadly today, drugs affect all our communities, both at home in Europe and way beyond its borders. Responding to problems caused by the production, trafficking and use of drugs is a challenge and a responsibility we all share, whether we are working at international or local level. Wolfgang Götz, EMCDDA Director looks at some of the challenges at local level to address Europe's drug problems. See feature article targeted at the local and regional media.

(25.6.2007, LISBON) Ensuring a high level of security for the general public is prominent on the European policy agenda and stepping up work to prevent drug-related crime is one of the key goals of the current EU drugs action plan (2005-2008). But, before countries can measure the extent of such crime, or assess the impact of measures to counter it, they must first agree on a common language to describe the problem. See news release and policy briefing Drugs in focus No 16: Drugs and crime -- a complex relationship.

Joint projects to prevent and control drug-related infectious diseases will be facilitated in the future thanks to a cooperation agreement signed today by the EU drugs agency (EMCDDA) and the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) . The agreement, signed in Lisbon this morning by ECDC Director Zsuzsanna Jakab and EMCDDA Director Wolfgang Götz, provides the agencies with a formal framework to join forces in tackling such infections and to contribute to the broader EU effort to prevent and control communicable diseases. Download a Fact sheet and full text of the Cooperation agreement . Photos are available in the Press room.

New Commission proposal to strengthen control of synthetic drug BZP (17.07.2007)
The European Commission will ask the Council to introduce drug control measures and criminal sanctions in relation to the psychoactive substance 1-benzylpiperazine (BZP).

Vice President Frattini welcomed the decision and stated '... This decision is an illustration of the European Union's risk assessment system at work. We have a responsibility to protect European citizens against dangerous psychoactive substances such as BZP'. See press release .

The Scientific Committee plays a major role in the EMCDDA's efforts to reach scientific excellence. The new EMCDDA Regulation states that the Scientific Committee shall consist of at most fifteen well-known scientists appointed in view of their scientific excellence and their independence by the Management Board following the publication of a call for expressions of interest in the Official Journal of the European Union.

A call for expressions of interest was published on 1 September 2007. Detailed information and application guidelines...

Decentralised communication can play a significant role in demonstrating to European citizens how the EU makes a difference in their daily lives. In this spirit, the EU bodies present in Portugal have come together via this joint brochure to present their work, offering the national audience a taste of 'Europe in Portugal'. More...