EU Agenda and Action Plan on Drugs 2021-2025

Summary:

Communication published by the European Commission on 24 July 2020, setting out the European Union's approach to drugs and delivering a drugs policy agenda for the period 2021-2025.

Further information:

The Commission's latest Security Union Strategy highlights the need to step up EU action on tackling illicit drugs through a robust new EU Agenda on Drugs. The assessment of the EU Drugs Strategy 2013-2020 and its two consecutive corresponding Action Plans confirmed that the drugs phenomenon and its challenges needed continuous tackling at national, EU and international level.

The EU Agenda on Drugs sets out the political framework for the EU's drugs policy over the following 5 years and aims to guide Member States in achieving improved protection for citizens in the face of the complex challenges posed by illicit drugs. It identifies 8 strategic priorities related to security, prevention and health:

• Disrupting and dismantling major high-risk drug-related organised crime groups operating in EU Member States and addressing links with other security threats;
• Increasing detection of illicit trafficking of drugs and drug precursors at EU points of entry and exit;
• Increasing effective monitoring of logistical and digital channels exploited for medium and small-volume drug distribution and increasing seizures of illicit substances smuggled through these channels in close cooperation with the private sector;
• Dismantling drug production and processing, preventing the diversion and trafficking of drug precursors for illicit drug production, and eradicating illegal cultivation;
• Preventing the uptake of drugs, enhancing crime prevention, and raising awareness of the adverse effects of drugs on citizens and communities;
• Enhancing access to treatment options for people who experience harm from substance use;
• Increasing the efficiency of risk and harm reduction interventions to protect the health of drug users and the public;
• Developing a balanced intervention on drugs use in prisons (reduce demand and restrict supply).

The Action Plan accompanying the Agenda sets out concrete measures for implementing these priorities.

Official

European Commission: Press Release, 24/07/2020: Delivering on a Security Union: initiatives to fight child sexual abuse, drugs and illegal firearms https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/detail/en/ip_20_1380

European Commission: Delivering on a Security Union: Questions and Answers (24 July 2020) https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/detail/en/qanda_20_1381

European Commission: Press statement by Commissioner Johansson on initiatives to fight child sexual abuse, drugs and firearms (24 July 2020) https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/detail/en/speech_20_1413

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