Statement of the Republic of Slovenia on behalf of the European Union at the 51st session of the Commission on Narcotic Drugs
Thank you, Mr Chairman,
1. I have the honour to speak on behalf of the European Union*.
2. I would like first of all to congratulate you, Ambassador, for having been elected the Chair of the 51st session of the Commission on Narcotic Drugs. We are convinced that under your wise direction, as well as that of the other members of the Bureau, we shall successfully perform the tasks before us this week. We have a number of important issues to consider during this session and we would like to assure you of the full cooperation of the European Union in carrying out our work.
3. The European Union welcomes this years' focus of the thematic debate. In order to thoroughly prepare for the high level segment of the fifty second session of the Commission on Narcotic Drugs an in-depth review of the progress achieved in meeting the goals and targets set at the twentieth special session of the General Assembly as well as identification of areas requiring further action is essential.
4. Mr. Chairman, the European Union takes note with great interest of the 5th Report of the Executive Director and its six addenda on the implementation of the commitments of the 20th Special Session of the United Nations General Assembly. We would like to take this opportunity to commend the Secretariat for compiling this report. The response rate to the questionnaires for the fifth reporting period has risen with 108 member states responding to the questionnaire.
5. Mr. Chairman, the review process is of great significance to the European Union. Let me emphasise some aspects regarding the UNGASS implementation in the EU to which we attach great importance. We are committed to an evidence-based, objective, scientific, balanced and transparent global evaluation of the implementation of the declarations and measures adopted by the General
Assembly at its twentieth special session. The review should identify the overall impact of the various elements of the UNGASS Declaration and Action Plans. It should also identify which elements have led to positive outcomes and which elements still require greater efforts or would need to be reconsidered as well as possible gaps. In this context, we attach importance to the output of the expert consultations on the collection and use of complementary drug-related data and expertise to support the global assessment by Member States of the UNGASS implementation. The technical experts recognized that despite some methodological weaknesses the process represents an important step in beginning to define the information resources necessary for evidence based dialogue on the global drug problem.
6. The review process presents a unique opportunity for non-governmental organisations to contribute their own perspectives in assessing the achievements of the last ten years in tackling challenges related to drugs. A transparent, integrated and balanced assessment should embrace the experience of the civil society. In this process the Beyond 2008 NGO Forum coordinated by the Vienna NGO Committee on Narcotic Drugs to be held in Vienna this summer has a prominent role to play giving invaluable input to in the review of the implementation of UNGASS. The EU is of the view that the regional consultation for European Union and EFTA countries held in Budapest in January 2008, along with the other eight consultation events around the world constitutes a major step in the process of preparation for the above mentioned Forum.
7. The EU would like to stress the importance it gives to the quality of data used. Via EMCDDA and Europol, the EU invests heavily in producing good and comparable data. Only good data can lead to useful conclusions being drawn. The conclusions drawn from the review process should lead to recommendations for decisions on future priorities, areas requiring further actions, goals and targets to be endorsed in a new political declaration at the high-level segment of the fifty second session of the CND. In this context I would like to draw your attention to a draft resolution on the Preparations for the high-level segment of the fifty-second session of the Commission on Narcotic Drugs, relating to the follow-up to the twentieth special session of the General Assembly tabled by the EU.
8. Mr. Chairman, the EU would like to emphasize the need for close cooperation between the INCB, UNODC, WHO, UNDP and UNAIDS in the area of health related drug policy respecting each organisations' individual role and mandate. Such an integrated approach is necessary to mainstream policies, it would guarantee a better use of resources and also would be in line with the one UN approach - delivering as one.
9. The recently launched document Reducing adverse health and social consequences of drug abuse: A comprehensive approach, which has been developed by UNODC in consultation with the INCB, and was endorsed by the latter, is a positive development. We would like to see more and closer cooperation between all relevant organizations to integrate drug and health policies further.
10. Drug-related problems remain one of the major concerns of the citizens of the European Union and pose a major threat to the security and health of the individuals, communities and society. It is also in this context that the European Union, complementary to national drug control strategies, has developed EU Drugs Strategies and Action Plans which serve as an effective tool for enhanced cooperation and better coordination of drugs policies in Europe. The EU Drug Strategy for the period 2005 – 2012 sets the framework, objectives and priorities for two consecutive four-year Action Plans. Confirming the European Union's integrated, multidisciplinary and balanced approach, it concentrates on two policy fields, demand reduction and supply reduction, and on two cross-cutting themes, namely international cooperation on the one hand and research, information and evaluation on the other. Prevention, treatment, rehabilitation and harm reduction, form an integral part of the EU concept of dealing with all aspects of the drug problem. In general, deeper knowledge is required of gender differences when formulating a drug policy.
11. Mr. Chairman, the EU Drugs Strategy and the ensuing Action Plans are anchored first and foremost in the fundamental values of the Union: respect for human dignity, liberty, democracy, equality, solidarity, the rule of law and human rights. They both aim to protect and improve the well being of society and of the individual, to protect public health, to offer a high level of security for the general public by taking a balanced, integrated approach to the drugs problem. Thus, it fully corresponds with the guidelines of UN Drugs policies, namely the International Drug Control Conventions as well as the Declarations and Action Plans adopted at the UNGASS 1998.
12. Given the global nature of the drugs problem, the European Union continues to conduct the dialogue on drugs with various regions of the world. To give an effective response to this global challenge based on the principle of shared responsibility remains a priority for the European Union. In this regard, we give priority to various countries and regions inter alia, Afghanistan, Andean region and West Africa. In this context I would also like to underline the X. High-Level Meeting of the Coordination and Cooperation Mechanism on Drugs between the European Union and Latin America and the Caribbean which was held in Vienna last week.
13. Finally, the European Union, in its efforts to counter the threat posed by national and transnational organised criminal groups involved in illicit drug trafficking, has established many mechanisms in recent years. These include minimum provisions on the constituent elements of criminal acts and penalties in the field of drug trafficking, Joint Investigation Teams, the European Arrest Warrant, Europol and Eurojust, the exchange of information between Financial Intelligence Units and measures for the confiscation of illegally acquired assets. Similarly, the European Union has intensified its efforts to counter money-laundering. The third money-laundering directive follows revised FATF recommendations and gives due consideration to the issue of terrorist financing. On national level member states have established many good practices in effectively dealing with the drug trafficking problem, not only through penal law but also using the possibilities of administrative law.
14. Mr Chair, I have emphasised some aspects of UNGASS implementation. The EU has prepared statements under different agenda items and will be delivering them at the relevant times.
Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
* The Candidate Countries Croatia, The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia and Turkey, the Countries of the Stabilization and Association Process and potential candidates Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, Serbia, the EFTA countries Iceland and Norway, members of the European Economic Area, as well as Moldova and Ukraine, associate themselves with this statement.
