PURPOSE : to present the Commission’s EU Drugs Action Plan for 2005-2008 with a view to significantly reducing the prevalence of drug use among the EU population and to reduce the social harm and health damage it causes in societies.

CONTENT : in December 2004, the European Council endorsed the EU Drug Strategy (2005-2012) which sets the framework, objectives and priorities for two consecutive four-year Action Plans to be brought forward by the Commission. This Strategy is an integral part of the multiannual programme “The Hague Programme” for strengthening freedom, security and justice in the EU which states that an optimal level of protection of the area of freedom, security and justice requires multi-disciplinary and concerted action both at EU level and national level.

The current drugs situation in Europe can be summarised as follows:

- increasing numbers demanding treatment for cocaine use;

- signs of heavy cannabis use among teenagers;

- increase in ecstasy consumption. The EU remains one of the world’s most important areas for the production of ecstasy;

- 2.1 million problematic drug users in the EU25;

- HIV/Aids is declining in some countries but the risk of epidemic spread remains high. Deep concern surrounds the continuing HIV epidemic in some of the new EU Member States and their bordering countries.

This Action Plan transposes the general objectives contained in the EU Drugs Strategy 2005-2012 into concrete actions.

These include general policy measures, specific programmes aimed at the prevention of drug use amongst young people, in the workplace and in recreational settings as well as measures for improving access to treatment programmes.

A set of measurable assessment tools and indicators has been introduced for each action in order to enable proper evaluation.

The Strategy has a number of major objectives:

- to achieve a high level of health protection, well-being and social cohesion by complementing the Member States’ action in preventing and reducing drug use, dependence and drug-related harms to health and society;

- with due regard for the EU’s achievements and values in terms of fundamental rights and freedoms, to ensure a high level of security for the general public by taking action against drugs production, cross-border trafficking in drugs and diversion of precursors and by intensifying preventive action against drug-related crime through effective cooperation embedded in a joint approach;

- to strengthen the EU’s coordination mechanisms to ensure that action taken at national, regional and international levels is complementary and contributes to the effectiveness of drug policies within the EU and in its relations with other international partners. The latter calls for a more clearly identifiable European position in international fora such as the UN and its specialised agencies, reflecting the EU’s dominant position as a donor in this area.

The Strategy concentrates on the two major dimensions of drugs policy, demand reduction and supply reduction. It also covers a number of cross-cutting themes: international cooperation, research, information and evaluation.

The Action Plan proposed by the Commission takes account of its Final Evaluation of the EU Drug Strategy and EU Action Plan on Drugs (2000–2004) (refer to the summary of 22/10/2004). It targets in particular those areas that the evaluation highlighted as needing further progress. It reiterates a number of essential objectives that were not reached under the previous Action Plan. The Commission has also carried out an initial consultation of civil society on future policy through a dedicated web site. Such consultation will be significantly expanded by the Commission during the course of the Action Plan to include a wide range of representatives of civil society across the EU in a dialogue on how best to deal with drugs issues.

Lastly, the Commission will carry out an impact assessment in 2008 in view of proposing a second Action Plan for 2009-2012. A final evaluation of the Strategy and the Action Plans will be carried out by the Commission in 2012.

COM(2005)0045
EUR-Lex

COMMISSION’S IMPACT ASSESSMENT

1. PROBLEM IDENTIFICATION :

The drugs phenomenon is one of the major concerns of European citizens. Tackling drugs is a top priority of the European Union in view of the high levels of drug misuse, trafficking, drug-related crime, health problems and social exclusion. Just under1% of the European adult population is considered to comprise problem drug-users. Moreover, drug consumption amongst young people has reached historically high levels.

For more information regarding the context of this problem, please refer to the complementary summary of the Communication ( COM( 2005)0045) on an EU Drugs Action Plan (2005-2008).

2. OBJECTIVE :

The ultimate aim of any EU action in the field of drugs is to significantly reduce the prevalence of drug use among the population and to reduce the social harm and health damage caused by the use of drugs, building on the outcome of the former EU Drugs Action Plan (2000-2004).

3. POLICY OPTIONS AND IMPACTS :

In order to tackle the drugs issue in the EU and to achieve the objectives outlined above, several options are envisaged:

3.1 - Option A : Actions in the field of drugs are left exclusively to the Member States : drugs are a problem that knows no national boundaries. In the case that actions in the field of drugs were purely taken at national level, the fight against drugs would be as difficult as in the case of other global threats such as terrorism or organised crime. Moreover, the implementation of 25 national policies and strategies reflecting different complex social and cultural models would raise important difficulties for the freedom of movement of people and goods. This paper states that the drugs issue is a world-wide phenomenon which requires a coordinated and integrated approach. What is at stake here is the protection of the values of freedom, security and justice which are the very basis of European society. Therefore, the only way to deal with this is to create European added value.

Due to the reasons outlined above, the European Council endorsed in 2000 an Action Plan providing a common framework for policymaking calling for a balanced, coordinated and integrated approach.

3.2 - Option B : The former Action Plan 2000-2004 is renewed for another 5 year period : the Action Plan 2000-2004 was divided into five sections: i ) co-ordination, ii) information and evaluation, iii) drug demand reduction and prevention of drug use and drug-related crime, iv) supply reduction and (v) international co-operation.

The conclusions of the final evaluation on the EU Drugs Strategy and Action Plan on Drugs were presented by the Commission in October 2004:

- a large part of the actions set out in the EU Action Plan on Drugs have been implemented or are in some stage of being implemented;

- the EU Drugs Strategy and Action Plan have been taken as a central reference point for action and have provided a framework for drug-related activities and initiatives at national and EU level;

- almost all Member States have adopted a national drugs strategy or action plan. Among the elements in these national drugs strategies and action plans, are common patterns with the EU approach, as outlined in the EU Drugs Strategy and Action Plan;

- there can be little doubt that the implementation of the actions in the Action Plan has contributed to the achievement, to a greater or lesser extent, of the 11 aims of the EU Drugs Strategy;

- the available information does not suggest that the availability of drugs has been reduced substantially;

- a number of important initiatives have also been taken to combat money laundering.

The final evaluation proposes that the future EU Drugs Strategy should contain clear and precise objectives and priorities that can be translated into operational indicators and actions in future Action Plans.

3.3 - Option C : a new Action Plan is presented, building on the main lessons from the final evaluation of the EU Action Plan 2000-2004 and in connection with the new Drugs Strategy 2005-2012: the new EU Strategy on Drugs 2005-2012 has two general aims that can be summed up as follows: the EU aims to achieve a high level of health protection, well-being and social cohesion by complementing the Member States’ action in preventing and reducing drug use, dependence and drug-related harm to health and society; the EU and its Member States aim to ensure a high level of security for the general public by taking action against drugs production, cross-border drug trafficking and by intensifying preventive action against drug-related crime, through effective cooperation embedded in a joint approach.

Clear and measurable assessment tools and indicators have been introduced, to the extent possible, to enable proper evaluation.

3.4 - Option D : a EU policy on drugs is proposed: 71% of Europeans believe that decisions on drugs should be taken at EU level. EU added value is most visible on issues like the fight against drug trafficking, precursor control and action against money laundering. Given the absence of an overall legal basis for a common EU drugs policy and in view of national sensitivities in this matter, the main aim can only be to achieve a coordinated policy, with due regard to the principles of subsidiarity and proportionality.

CONCLUSION : On the basis of lessons learned from the final evaluation, it was decided, in the draft Commission proposal, to discard options A, B and D and to present an improved new Action Plan (option C).

4. FOLLOW- UP : With a view to proposing a second Action Plan for the period 2009-2012, the Commission will organise an impact assessment in 2008. During 2009-2012, annual progress reviews will continue to be drawn up by the Commission. In 2012, the Commission will organise an overall evaluation of the EU Drugs Strategy and Action Plans. Moreover, the Commission launched, via the internet, an initial public consultation on the Action Plan which came to an end on 8 November 2004 which will be the subject of a Green Paper.

SEC(2005)0216
EUR-Lex

Since 2000, the EU has adopted a Strategy and an Action Plan aimed at reducing both the demand for and supply of drugs in the European Union. This Communication presents the results of the final evaluation of the Strategy and Action Plan. As well as assessing the implementation of the Action Plan it also lays the foundation for the future EU drugs policy on the basis of what lessons have been learned from the present process.

The actual evaluation of the Action Plan was undertaken in April 2003 and involved input from Commission representatives, Member States the EMCDDA and Europol. Drug policy impact evaluation is still in its infancy phase and the lack of precise and quantifiable operation objects does not make the task simple. Nevertheless certain trends have been identified, indicating which activities should be prioritised in the future.

The evaluation process has established that around 95% of the actions set out in the EU plan on drugs have been implemented or are being implemented. Further, there can be little doubt that the implementation of the Action Plan has contributed to the achievement of the 11 aims specified in the EU Drugs Strategy. In terms of the target set for the reduction of drug use, the Communications notes that no strong evidence exists to suggest that drug use, especially amongst young people is decreasing. However, some of the data does point to evidence of a levelling off in the upward trend in drug use prevalence, - albeit that drug use is at historically high levels. Some of the results obtained from the evaluation process show that many of the EU targets set have acted as a catalyst for a number of EU level initiatives, which have strengthened law enforcement measures against drug trafficking and supply. Similarly, a number of important initiatives have been taken to combat money laundering with a number of Member States participating in important initiatives to combat the diversion of precursors, such as the European Joint Unit on Precursors.

Regarding a future strategy, the Commission suggest that a future EU Drugs Strategy should contain clear and precise objectives and priorities, which are easily translated into operational indicators and actions. Responsibilities and deadlines for implementation should be clearly defined. Continued progress should be made regarding drug availability, quality and comparability. In order to create a smooth transition the European Commission will present, in the course of 2005, proposals for a new Action Plan, set to last from 2005-2008. The objectives of the new Drugs Strategy and Action Plan should be reflected in the Multi-annual Programme for the area of freedom, security and justice.

COM(2004)0707
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COM(2002)0599
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COM(2001)0301

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T5-0121/1999
OJ C 189 07.07.2000, p. 0248-0256

T5-0121/1999

CDR0292/1999
OJ C 057 29.02.2000, p. 0087

Debate in Parliament

A5-0063/1999
OJ C 189 07.07.2000, p. 0048

A5-0063/1999

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COM(1999)0239

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COM(1999)0239