EMCDDA news

EUDA Executive Director, Alexis Goosdeel, issued a critical Call to action to EU partners and Member States today urging them to unite against the growing threat posed by new synthetic opioids. In his address — 'New synthetic opioids – European preparedness and response' — he highlighted the urgent need for coordinated action. Mr Goosdeel delivered the call at the meeting of the European Parliament’s Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice, and Home Affairs (LIBE), where he was presenting the work of the new agency and the state of the drugs problem in Europe. 'We only need to look to North…

The European Commission has launched a call today for the next Executive Director of the European Union Drugs Agency (EUDA). Eligible candidates are invited to apply by 30 October 2024. The Executive Director is the legal representative and public face of the EUDA and is accountable to the EUDA Management Board. She/he leads and manages the agency and has the overall responsibility for its operations. The appointment is for a five-year period, with the possibility of a single renewal for an additional five-year term. Selection and appointment The Executive Director will be appointed by the…

An EUDA delegation is concluding a four-day visit to Canada today, hosted by the Canadian Centre on Substance Use and Addiction (CCSA). EUDA Executive Director, Alexis Goosdeel and CCSA Chief Executive Officer, Dr Alexander Caudarella, reinforced the collaboration between the organisations through high-level discussions on drug policy, substance use care and emerging trends. Topics on the agenda included cannabis initiatives, impaired driving and harm reduction services. Alexis Goosdeel presented the mission of the EUDA as strengthening EU preparedness on drugs through four key functions:…

Prevention training for frontline workers is set to expand across Europe thanks to a Cooperation Agreement being signed today by the European Union Drugs Agency (EUDA) and HOGENT University's Research Centre for Substance Use and Psychosocial Risk Behaviours. The 10-year agreement is being signed in Ghent by EUDA Executive Director, Alexis Goosdeel, and General Director of HOGENT, Koen Goethals. The agreement centres on the roll-out of training materials developed under the EU-funded Frontline Politeia Project (January 2022–December 2023), coordinated by HOGENT. During the project, an…

Reviewing the progress of the EUDA's technical international cooperation projects with partners in the Western Balkans and the European Neighbourhood Policy (ENP) area will be the focus of a consultative meeting hosted by the agency in Porto from 18–19 September 2024.   The joint Project Advisory Committee will bring together 22 representatives from 14 beneficiaries of the two projects — the Instrument for Pre-accession Assistance 8 (IPA8) and EU4Monitoring Drugs II (EU4MD II) (1). Also attending will be representatives of the European Commission's Directorate-General for Neighbourhood…

The Croatian national focal point and the European Union Drugs Agency (EUDA) are organising today the latest Reitox Academy on evidence-based prevention. The academy will cover the principles of science-based prevention, feature examples of quality prevention programmes across Europe and discuss models for improving national prevention interventions. Experts from different countries will present examples of good practice in prevention interventions in diverse settings, including: school (Estonia, Spain, Brazil); family (Estonia) and community (Croatia, Germany) (1). The event will round off…

A new report out today from the EU Drugs Agency (EUDA) sheds light on how economic downturns can impact the use of illicit drugs. The publication — The impact of economic recessions on the use of illicit drugs: findings from a scoping literature review — highlights how young people and socioeconomically vulnerable groups are disproportionately affected during times of recession. The impact of economic downturns on public health and, more specifically, on the use of alcohol and tobacco, has received significant attention in recent years. However, understanding of the effects of recessions on…