EMCDDA Director Alexis Goosdeel is at the European Parliament today where he will be presenting to members of the Committee for Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs (LIBE) highlights from the EMCDDA strategy and work programme 2016–18 and the 2016 annual work programme.
At the heart of the new strategy and work programme is the EMCDDA’s vision to contribute to a more secure and a healthier Europe. This overarching commitment will drive the agency in the coming years and guide it in delivering added value to its stakeholders. A greater emphasis on knowledge-transfer, strategic analysis and threat assessment will be the main drivers to achieving this goal.
Ensuring the security of the EU is now, more than ever, a top priority. Tackling drug-related threats is an integral part of this effort, as highlighted by the recently adopted European Agenda on Security 2015–20. Here the EMCDDA will provide EU policymakers with timely information and analysis to support prompt and sound reactions. One example of this contribution will be the publication of the second EU Drug Markets Report, a state-of-the-art strategic analysis of the illicit drug markets in the EU, to be published with Europol on 5 April 2016.
Better understanding of the global dimension of the drug phenomenon is vital for tackling EU threats. To this end, the agency will continue to support the European Commission in its endeavour to provide technical assistance to candidate, potential candidate and neighbouring countries to the EU, with the aim of informing sound EU drug policies with these countries.
Fulfilling the agency’s vision for 2016–18 also means contributing to the health of EU citizens. This will include continuing the successful collaboration with partners in the prevention of infectious diseases among people who inject drugs, focusing in particular on HIV and hepatitis C, which remain major public health concerns.
A new top level publication, the EU Drug Responses Report, will be launched in 2017. This will provide a state-of-the-art overview of the responses to drugs across the EU as well as recommendations for action. The EU Drug Responses Report, the EU Drug Markets Report and the annual European Drug Report: Trends and Developments, together will provide the complete picture of the drug phenomenon and an essential information and analysis package for policymakers from the EU and beyond.
Finally, the EMCDDA will continue to play the central role in Europe’s response to new psychoactive substances, which represent one of the most rapidly growing threats to the health of EU citizens. The agency will ensure that the EU Early Warning System, which it operates together with its partners, is able to meet the challenges ahead and provide a rapid response to protect public health.
The presentation will take place from 18.10 to 18.45 (CET) and will be web streamed — see 'Today's broadcasts'
