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Spotlight
Strengthening the EU research capacity
Research is essential to achieving a better understanding of today’s illicit drug problems and is a central plank of the EU drugs strategy and action plan (2009–12) (1). In 2009, under the Swedish presidency, the Council of the EU adopted ‘Conclusions for strengthening EU research capacity on illicit drugs’ (2). The text recalls that, while drug-related research in Europe has a strong national dimension, there is no forum at EU level for a systematic dialogue on the issue or for exploiting the potential for joint research.
Research priorities listed in the document include increasing coordination between policy, research and practice and improving access to research findings. Also underlined is the importance of boosting cooperation between national research programmes, for example through the European Research Area Networks (ERA-NET) scheme (3).
The EMCDDA, with its Reitox network, is requested in the text to provide and disseminate drug-related research information and findings via its thematic web area on research and its Best practice portal. The European Commission is requested to raise awareness of EU funding opportunities.
Finally, the Council agrees in the text to establish an annual exchange on drug-related research within its Horizontal working party on drugs, in order to strengthen policy–research links and collaboration. The European Commission is invited to prepare this discussion, with the assistance of the EMCDDA and its Scientific Committee. The current Spanish presidency will now follow up on the conclusions and the first annual exchange is scheduled for June 2010.
Margareta Nilson
In this issue...
- 2010 priorities and budget
- Management Board: changes at the helm
- EMCDDA and Europol step up information collection on mephedrone
- Guidelines for collecting data on retail drug prices
- Hepatitis C prevalence as a possible indicator of injection-related HIV risk
- Health and prisons in Europe
- Best practice portal: upcoming developments
- European drug prevention quality standards
- Role of Community agencies in EU enlargement process reinforced
- EMCDDA signs accord with Ukrainian Ministry of Health
- New Czech penal code enters into force
- EMCDDA and Canadian partners outline areas for cooperation
- Implementation of the EMCDDA’s five key epidemiological indicators
- Reitox development strategy 2010–15
- Scientific Committee underlines importance of scientific publishing
Drugnet Europe is also available in downloadable PDF format, for printing or offline browsing.
Drugnet Europe is the EMCDDA's newsletter launched in September 1996. The newsletter provides regular and succint information on the Centre's projects and activities to a broad readership.
Page last updated: Friday, 12 March 2010