The EU drugs agency (EMCDDA) and the European Police Office (Europol), stepped up their cooperation on drugs and crime today by approving a series of collaborative activities for the period 2009–12. The action was taken in the framework of a ‘Cooperation Agreement’ signed by the organisations in Brussels on 19 November 2001 (1).
At a ceremony in the Hague, EMCDDA Director Wolfgang Götz and Europol Director Max-Peter Ratzel signed an addendum to a pledge taken in 2005 to strengthen their cooperation, specifically through activities over the period 2005–08 (2). Each objective listed in today’s document is accompanied by specific actions, indicators and a timeframe to facilitate the implementation and monitoring of the cooperation.
This latest cooperation cycle (2009–12) takes into account recent developments at EU level. In particular, it foresees joint activities in relation to the:
- EU drugs action plan 2009–12 (e.g. a joint presentation on the state of the drugs problem in Europe; assistance to the European Commission in preparing an annual progress review on implementation of the plan);
- exchange of methodology and strategic information (e.g. on drug seizures, prices, purity, drug markets, supply reduction and new trends); and
- implementation of the 2005 Council Decision on the information exchange, risk assessment and control of new psychoactive substances (3) (e.g. regular information exchange, risk assessments).
Since 2005, the EMCDDA and Europol have been required to produce an annual report to the European Parliament, Council and the Commission on the implementation of the Council Decision. The 2008 report was formally submitted to the institutions today and will be available to the public in April.
Max-Peter Ratzel, who took up the post of Europol Director in 2005, leaves the organisation this spring. Europol, is set to become an EU agency in 2010.
