Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction and the Ministry of Justice of Georgia

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Memorandum of Understanding
between the
European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction and the

Ministry of Justice of Georgia

Memorandum of Understanding
between the
European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction and the
Ministry of Justice of Georgia

The European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction, hereinafter referred to as the ‘EMCDDA’ and the Ministry of Justice of Georgia, hereinafter referred to as the ‘Ministry of Justice’, based on Regulation (EC) No 1920/2006 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 12 December 2006 (recast), O.J. L 376/1 of 27 December 2006 — hereinafter referred to as ‘the Parties’,

1. Rationale

Recalling the framework established by the European Neighbourhood Policy and particularly article 18 of the Association Agreement between the European Union and the European Atomic Energy Community and their Member States, of the one part, and Georgia, of the other part,

Recalling the Eastern Partnership Roadmap 2013, where the European Union reiterated its intention to further strengthen sector cooperation within the Eastern Partnership framework, including collaboration on anti-drugs issues.

The Parties are guided by the principles and aims of existing multilateral international agreements on drug control. They express their wish to develop a framework of mutual cooperation in the field of information on preventing and responding to illicit drug use, in line with international and EU standards. The Parties recognise that information on the drug phenomenon is an essential and indispensable instrument for the drafting and implementation of drug policies and for the assessment of the impact of actions to reduce the problems originating from drug use and trafficking.

The Parties also express their interest in sharing experience and knowledge of methodologies aiming to develop and harmonise indicators of the drug situation and to develop an information system.

Note is taken of the fact that the Ministry of Justice coordinates the Inter-agency Coordination Council on Combating Drug Abuse which is in charge of shaping, revising and monitoring Implementation of the state policy on fighting against drug abuse in Georgia.

2. Objective

The objective of this Memorandum is to set up cooperation relations between the Parties in order to facilitate the collection, processing and dissemination of information on drugs. It also aims to further develop common methods for monitoring illicit drug consumption (and related problems) as well as drug supply (including drug trafficking), with the aim of developing and improving comparable indicators for drug situation and response monitoring and evaluation systems.

3. Responsibilities

Within their respective legal frameworks, the Parties will invite each other to attend meetings convened under their respective auspices on occasions when they consider subjects of mutual interest will be discussed.

In particular, the Ministry of Justice will use its best efforts to ensure drawing up and presenting to the EMCDDA an annual report and analytical notes on the drug situation in Georgia.

In particular, the EMCDDA will endeavour to facilitate training and the exchange of experts and results of scientific research on the problems of illicit drug trafficking and on monitoring the drug situation, as well as on other issues of mutual interest.

The Parties will establish a regular exchange of information on new types of drugs and psychotropic substances that appear on the illegal drug market, the technologies of their production and their use.

The activities on which specific co-operation has been foreseen will be set out in a joint work programme, which will be updated every three years.

The Parties will not divulge classified information or documents received from the other organisation without the preliminary consent of the organisation that provided the information.

Each of the Parties will designate a contact person for maintaining continued dialogue with a view to ensuring efficient and full application of the present Memorandum of Understanding.

4. Other issues

The Parties understand that the present Memorandum of Understanding is not an international treaty and does not produce legally binding effects under international law. Practical application and implementation of its content will not be regarded as the fulfillment of international obligations by the European Union and its institutions.

This Memorandum will become effective after signature by both organisations, for an initial period of five (5) years. If, at the end of the initial five (5) years, neither of the organisations notify the other of its intention to discontinue the application of the Memorandum, its validity will be renewed for a further five (5) years.

The Memorandum will cease to be effective six (6) months after the date of receiving a notification to that regard.

The Parties have decided that all possible disputes concerning the interpretation and application of this Memorandum will be settled by means of negotiations and consultations between the organisations themselves.

This Memorandum of Understanding is produced in two original copies in English and Georgian, both being authentic. In case of divergence in interpretation of the provisions of the present Memorandum, the English text shall be of reference.

Tbilisi, 4 November 2015

SIGNED BY:

For the European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction Wolfgang Götz
Director

For the Ministry of Justice of Georgia Tea Tsulukiani
Minister