I am proud to introduce today the EMCDDA’s Single Programming Document (SPD) for the period 2022–2024. This new programming period starts at a time when the COVID-19 pandemic is still unfolding. And while the EMCDDA has proved its capacity to rapidly adapt to the new reality, uncertainty remains on how the possible new waves of the pandemic will impact on our work, the work of our partners, and indeed, on the needs of our customers.
The pandemic has accelerated unprecedented digital disruption, and the adoption of new, and more agile, working approaches. The EMCDDA has positioned itself as a fast mover, and we have big, transformative plans for the future.
In this regard, the business model innovation initiative, which kicked off in 2020, will reach key milestones during this new programming period. We will build a digital ecosystem, which will leverage the EMCDDA internal capability and have data networks and partnerships at its core. This will entail a significant organisational change effort, towards aligning the EMCDDA people, culture, structure and technology, and will require important investments. It will also involve working closely with our key partners, in particular the Reitox network of national focal points. This will allow us to successfully perform in the volatile, uncertain, complex and ambiguous external environment, with the ultimate purpose of bringing augmented value to our customers — the very reason for pursuing this transformative effort. This will be achieved in line with an action plan adopted by the Management Board in 2021, and the EMCDDA Roadmap 2021–2025, which will be guiding our work until the end of the Strategy 2025.
The period 2022–2024 will also bring a revision of the EMCDDA’s Regulation. The agency must therefore be prepared to embrace any upcoming opportunities.
During this time, the EMCDDA will continue to release new editions of its leading publications. In 2022, this includes more modules of the European Responses Guide, the launch of the EMCDDA–Europol EU Drug Markets Report in a new digital and modular format (2022–2023) and the annual European Drug Report package (in a transition model), which will be complemented by smaller, focused and timely analyses on emerging topics. This rich, and increasingly sophisticated, production and delivery of information and analysis will be supported by the ongoing evolution of our established and new drug monitoring methods. Particularly important will be the support provided to the European Commission and the Member States in the implementation of the EU Drugs Strategy and Action Plan 2021–2025.
My team and I are highly dedicated to increasing the value we bring to our customers at EU level and in the Member States. To this end, we are engaging in a transformative organisational endeavour which we are confident will contribute, not only to a healthier and more secure Europe, but also to a European Union which is more sustainable, digital and inclusive.
This is our top commitment for the period 2022–2024 and we know that we can count on our European partners to deliver on this ambitious promise.
EMCDDA Programming Document 2022–2024 (available in English).
