EU presents its new Drug Strategy at the Commission on Narcotic Drugs

In December 2025, as part of the initiatives announced under the EU's internal security strategy (ProtectEU), the Commission introduced a new EU Drugs Strategy along with an Action Plan to tackle drug trafficking. The Strategy sets forth an ambitious agenda, showcasing the EU's commitment to a multidisciplinary and balanced approach to drug policy. This approach integrates security, health, and social measures, adopting a person-centred and human rights-based perspective.

Ms Floriana Sipala, Director for Internal Security and Counter-Terrorism Coordinator at the European Commission briefly outlined the main components of the strategy. Firstly, the Strategy prioritises preparedness by ensuring that the EU's alert and monitoring systems remain current, timely, and efficient. Secondly, the Strategy focuses on citizens' well-being and public health, promoting prevention, awareness-raising, treatment, and reintegration. Thirdly, the Strategy sets a framework to guide the EU's security responses. Fourth, it addresses the risks and harms associated with drugs through measures targeting health, social, and environmental damage. Lastly, the Strategy acknowledges the global nature of the drugphenomenon, laying the groundwork for stronger EU cooperation with key international partners.

During her intervention, Ms Lorraine Nolan, the new Executive Director of the European Union Drugs Agency (EUDA), discussed the EUDA's comprehensive preparedness architecture, explaining the Agency's tools and approaches to strengthening risk awareness and readiness. Ms Nolan announced that EUDA is launching next month a new collaboration platform for civil society organisations to enhance engagement, share expertise, and facilitate consultations.

Concerning public health, Dr Christos Mina, President of the Board of the Cyprus National Addictions Authority (NAAC) and National Drug Coordinator, emphasised that prevention, treatment, harm reduction, and social reintegration form a continuum of care that decreases both drug demand and drug-related harm.

Furthermore, the EU Drugs Strategy expands the concept of harm reduction beyond health outcomes, also addressing drug-related violence, especially violence involving or affecting children, as well as environmental damage. Drawing on Brazil's extensive experience, Ms Marta Machado, Brazilian National Secretary for Drug Policy (SENAD), underscored the importance of crafting policies consistent with human rights and reiterated that prevention must be based on a coordinated system with structural responses that strengthen community ties to reduce violence and build protective environments.

Ms Ganna Dovbakh, Chair of the Civil Society Forum on Drugs and Executive Director of the Eurasian Harm Reduction Network, affirmed civil society organisations' important contribution as primary implementers of this continuum of care at national and local levels. However, she also highlighted the need for harmonised responses among member states across the EU, pointing out challenges such as shrinking funding for CSOs, increasing administrative burdens, and, in some contexts, restrictions on freedom of association and participation in policymaking.

Representing UNODC, Ms Candice Welsch, Director of the Division for Policy Analysis and Public Affairs, elaborated on how the EU's new Drugs Strategy and Action Plan contribute to building stronger international partnerships to address the drug situation comprehensively and effectively, within the framework of UN drug conventions and other international drug policy commitments. She highlighted how the shared principles between the European Union and UNODC make them natural partners in tackling the world drug problem, noting that UNODC's efforts focus on strengthening international cooperation.

In conclusion, the new EU Strategy seeks to offer a strategic and future-proof response to achieve tangible results. The side event was well attended, with over 100 in-person and online participants.