The EMCDDA coordinates a network of National focal points (NFPs) set up in the 27 EU Member States, Norway, the European Commission and in the candidate countries. Together, these information collection and exchange points form Reitox, the European Information Network on Drugs and Drug Addiction. This human and computer network links the national information systems of the 27 Member States and Norway and their key partners to the EMCDDA. It acts as a practical instrument for the collection and exchange of data and information.
The activities undertaken by Reitox are divided into core tasks (mandatory) and additional tasks (voluntary).
The Reitox coordination team at the EMCDDA is responsible for animating the network.
Throughout 2001, an external contractor evaluated the activities and products of the focal points of the Reitox network, as well as their contribution to the EMCDDA objectives and results. The final evaluation report consists of two volumes: Main findings (pdf, 904 KB) and Focal point profiles (pdf, 204 KB).
The Reitox coordination team has produced a report entitled 'Quality of information in the drugs field, data quality and networking in the Reitox national focal points' (pdf, 293 KB). This report aims to list some recommendations for improving the quality of the information provided by the focal points. The report includes: criteria for data quality; the template used for evaluating national reports; the summarised results of the evaluation of the 2001 reports; the conclusions of visits and cluster meetings held by Reitox National focal points; guidelines for improving information quality; and related annexes.
Every year the Reitox team coordinates an evaluation exercise on reports and data provided by the NFPs to EMCDDA. Individual feedback is sent to countries for the quality improvement of the report - Data quality feedback (ppt, 223 KB).
The Reitox team guarantees the coordination of guidelines for reportingdata and information by the NFPs to the EMCDDA. A new reporting system has been put in place in 2003 in order to collect information and data in a more rationalised way. 2004 guidelines are composedof three main instruments: reports, questionnaires, tables.
In January 2003, the EMCDDA Management Board adopted a new operating framework for the Reitox system (pdf, 56 KB).