Treochlár an Aontais Eorpaigh chun gáinneáil ar dhrugaí agus an choireacht eagraithe a chomhrac
Opinion factsheet
Ar an leathanach seo
- Ceartas agus Gnóthaí Baile
- An limistéar saoirse, slándála agus ceartais
- An comhar breithiúnach
- Radacú, Sceimhlitheoireacht agus Slándáil
Opinion number:
CDR-5442-2023
Status:
Tuairimí a glacadh
Objective
The CoR's opinion outlines key objectives aimed at creating a comprehensive and multi-stakeholder approach to combating drug trafficking and organised crime across Europe, such as:
Sharing and addressing the European Commission’s concern about the serious health and security threats posed by the drugs trafficking orchestrated by organised crime.
Emphasising the importance of adopting durable and sutainable solutions and involving local and regional authorities in strengthening prevention, harm reduction and public health principles (such as the presence of a multi-level task force that operates in individual cities with an integrated approach).
Stressing the need for a substantial information campaign to raise awareness among citizens, especially adolescents, about the risks of taking illicit substances and the dangers of falling into criminal networks.
Calling for greater protection of young people from criminal organisations and the disruption of criminal activities through effective crime prevention policies and tools involving local authorities and communities, families, schools, social services, civil society, law enforcement and the private sector.
Promoting and contributing to public-private projects that can enable the exchange of good practice and carry out two-tier prevention and protection work - targeting those who already use illicit substances and those who are potentially at risk, and providing psychological support also to families.
Calling for the involvement of local and regional authorities in the work of the European Ports Alliance, as their experience and knowledge can ensure a more comprehensive approach and effective results.
Impact
The CoR opinion endorses a more comprehensive and efficient approach to the fight against drug trafficking and organised crime across Europe, emphasizing the importance of involving local and regional authorities. It has several forward-looking impacts, the most salient of which are as follows:
Increased awareness of the importance to involve local and regional authorities to ensure that prevention, harm reduction and public health principles are effectively implemented.
Increased focus on the prevention in relation to the risks of illicit substances and the dangers of criminal networks, as a focus on prevention can help to reduce demand for drugs and disrupt criminal activities.
Greater understanding of the need for a focus on the youth protection and the importance of investing in effective crime prevention policies and tools that involve various community stakeholders. In this context, the Commission has already set up the EU Internet Forum whicj supports the monitoring of drug content in social media platforms.
Enhanced support to the European Ports Alliance and the involvement of local and regional authorities and public-private partnerships, which are essential for the effective management and safeguarding of port security. As a result, the Commission has has encouraged the designated national points of contact for the European Ports Alliance in the Member States to involve regional and local authorities in the internal dissemination of information and consultation processes.
Reinforced emphasis on tackling the issue of corruption and criminal infiltration in logistical hubs (one of the four priority areas identified in the workplan of the European Ports Alliance). The Commission has confirmed its plans to develop practical guidance in 2024 on the use of administrative tools in the fight against criminal infiltration, the so-called administrative approach, whereby local authorities are empowered to use administrative tools to prevent the criminal infiltration of legal businesses and administrative infrastructure.
Increased awareness of the importance to involve local and regional authorities to ensure that prevention, harm reduction and public health principles are effectively implemented.
Increased focus on the prevention in relation to the risks of illicit substances and the dangers of criminal networks, as a focus on prevention can help to reduce demand for drugs and disrupt criminal activities.
Greater understanding of the need for a focus on the youth protection and the importance of investing in effective crime prevention policies and tools that involve various community stakeholders. In this context, the Commission has already set up the EU Internet Forum whicj supports the monitoring of drug content in social media platforms.
Enhanced support to the European Ports Alliance and the involvement of local and regional authorities and public-private partnerships, which are essential for the effective management and safeguarding of port security. As a result, the Commission has has encouraged the designated national points of contact for the European Ports Alliance in the Member States to involve regional and local authorities in the internal dissemination of information and consultation processes.
Reinforced emphasis on tackling the issue of corruption and criminal infiltration in logistical hubs (one of the four priority areas identified in the workplan of the European Ports Alliance). The Commission has confirmed its plans to develop practical guidance in 2024 on the use of administrative tools in the fight against criminal infiltration, the so-called administrative approach, whereby local authorities are empowered to use administrative tools to prevent the criminal infiltration of legal businesses and administrative infrastructure.
Essential points
THE EUROPEAN COMMITTEE OF THE REGIONS
– shares the European Commission’s concern about the drugs trade orchestrated by organised crime: it is one of the main and serious health and security threats facing Europe today;
– welcomes the efforts of the European Commission and all the bodies engaged in combating the drugs trade and organised crime;
– stresses the importance of adopting permanent solutions and involving local and regional authorities in order to achieve the priority of increasing prevention, embracing harm reduction and public health principles;
– welcomes the creation of an alliance [European Ports Alliance] based on public-private partnership involving all actors that play a crucial role in managing and safeguarding port security and are the first point of contact in the fight against drug smuggling and criminal infiltration. Notes that the partnership could also involve local and regional authorities in areas that border on the customs areas which accommodate logistic hubs;
– considers it essential to protect young people from the activity of criminal organisations and to disrupt criminal activity through essential investment in effective crime prevention policies and tools, involving local communities, families, schools, the social welfare sector, civil society, law enforcement, the judiciary, prison authorities and the private sector;
– stresses the need for a substantial information campaign raising awareness among citizens and targeting especially adolescents in order to provide proper information on the risks of taking illicit substances and the danger of falling into criminal networks;
– stresses that, in order to prevent the use of illicit substances and problems related to drug addiction, it is necessary to ensure the presence of a multi-level task force that operates in individual cities with an integrated approach, promotes public-private projects for sharing expertise and information, enables good practices to be shared, carries out two-tier prevention work – targeting those who already use illicit substances and those who are potentially at risk – and provides psychological support also to families.