First EMCDDA–IPA6 Steering Committee meeting

The EMCDDA–IPA6 Steering committee gathered for the first meeting of the project in Brussels and counted the presence of four (out of six) national correspondents as well as representatives from all concerned countries’ Permanent Missions to the EU; the European Commission’s Directorate General NEAR and Directorate General HOME; and EMCDDA representatives. The meeting was hosted in the building of DG NEAR.

The objective of this consultative body is to guide and support the implementation of the project; to liaise among relevant government entities and partners; and to advise both the EMCDDA and the beneficiary countries on matters related to the project. Among the activities discussed was the establishment of a National Early Warning System (NEWS) in each beneficiary country; the creation or strengthening of a National Drug Observatory (NDO) and the organisation of capacity building activities, notably in the field of specific drugs related data collection processes, in line with the EMCDDA standard protocols.