Lisbonne, Le 16 Juillet 1996

EMCDDA/01/07

MINUTES OF THE THIRTY-FOURTHMEETING OF THE

MANAGEMENT BOARD (13-15DECEMBER2006)

Introduction by the Chair

The Chair welcomed the new members representing Member States at the Management Board,Ms Lucia Saccone, member (IT). Ms. Saccone was accompanied by Ms Silvia Zanone, who has been alternate member of the Board in the past. He also welcomedMr Crispin Acton, new alternate member (UK), andthanked Mr Nick Lawrence for his collaboration as alternate member of the Board and as member of the Bureau during three mandates. Mr Mogens Jörgensen (DK) was accompanied by Mr Hans Thomsen.The Chairinformed that Ms Elfriede Koller (DE), now working in the area of consumers’protection, after nearly 30 years of professional experience in the field of drugs, transmitted her greetings to the Board members. He thanked her for her valuable contribution to the work of the EMCDDA throughout many years as representative of the ‘Bundesländer’.Mr Constantinos Ballas and Mr Evangelos Arabatzis, who were nominated member and alternate member for Greece (EL) were excused. Greece was represented by Mr Evangelos Kafetzopoulos, a proxy vote having been given to Mr Kyriakos Veresies (CY). Mr Ivo Kacaba (CZ), Mr Didier Jayle (FR) and Ms Lilly Sofie Ottesen (NO) were also unable to attend the meeting. Mr Celal Bodur was nominated observer for Turkey (TU).

Furthermore, the Chair introduced the newspokesperson of the national focal points, Mr Alan Lodwick (UK).

Ms Florence Mabileau-Whomsley represented le Pompidou Group of the Council of Europe. The Chair congratulated PL and ES for their election as Chair and Vice-Chair of the Permanent Correspondents of the Pompidou Group. Mr Lars Moller of WHO was excused.

The Chair thanked the interpreters and informed that the passive languages were Danish, Greek and Spanish. Mr Reimen thanked the Director and the staff for the quality of the documents and the preparation of the meeting.

I. Adoption of the agendaEMCDDA/36/06 rev 1

Further to the decision of the Bureau, the Chair proposed to add to the agenda under point V an item on the contractual situation of the Director, in restricted session. NLsuggested to discuss the impact and outputs of the Annual report under point VII ‘Debriefing of the launch of the 2006 Annual report.

Decision:The Management Board adopted unanimously the modified agenda of the meeting.

II. 1. Brief presentations on the first conclusions of the Finnish Presidency

- Recast of the EMCDDA regulation (key modifications)

FIsummarised the main eventsand first conclusionsof its Presidency.Consensus was reached on a common EU position on issues relating to the assessment of the UNGASS process. The Turku ‘Conference on partnerships between stakeholders at frontline level responding to drug problems’ (6-7 September), to which the Pompidou Group of the Council of Europe contributed, enhanced drug coordination and cooperation between social, health and police systems in the EU. Troika meetings took placewith Russia and the USA. The European Commission presented its first annual progress review of the EU Action Plan on Drugs. Ways for a better coordination of drug-related research in the EU were discussed at the Horizontal Drugs Group (HDG). The green paper of the European Commission on the role of civil society in drug prevention was the theme of the meeting of National Drug Coordinators end of November.

The Chairadded that the recast of the EMCDDA founding regulation was finalised under Finnish Presidency, and thanked the Austrian Presidency for the preparatory work on this issue. He congratulated the Finnish Presidency for its achievements.

II. 2. Brief presentations on the programme of the German Presidency

DE announced thatthe working programmeof its Presidency in the field of drug policy will be presented to the HDG on 19 December. It will mainly focus on the monitoring of the implementation of the EU Action Plan on Drugs 2005-2008. The German focal point plans a ‘ReitoxAcademy’ for national focal points on ‘prevention and therapy of cannabis-related disorders in Europe’. The results will be submitted to the National Drug Coordinators meeting to take place in Berlin on 14-15 May 2007, at which the cooperation between the EU and UNODC will also be discussed. A conference at Ministerial level on HIV prevention will be held in Bremen on 13-14 March 2007, and seminars on law enforcement issues will be organised.Relationship with Latin Americawill be one of the priorities in the field of international cooperation.

The Chairmantransmitted his best wishes for success to the DE Presidency.

III. Report on the activities of the Chairman EMCDDA/38/06

The Management Board welcomed the document.

IV. Report on the external activities of the DirectorEMCDDA/20/06

The Directorpresentedan overview on his external activities from June to December 2006. He stressed some elements like the visit of the President of the European Commission, Mr José Manuel Barroso, in October, and the meetings with Vice-President Frattini in July and November (visit to the EMCDDA). Both expressed interest in the activities of the EMCDDA, its relationship with Commission services and with Portuguese authorities, as well as in the building issue. Mr Frattini considered that the EMCDDA should take more supply and economic issues on board, and should play a role in some elements of the neighborhood policy. He strongly supported the cooperation between the EMCDDA and the Russian Federation. The Vice-President’s interest further lied in communication, recommending an even more active press work to raise the agency’s visibility. Furthermore, the Director regularly met with representatives of DG JLS. Contacts with members of the European Parliament were made mainly in the framework of the preparation of the 2007 budget and the launch of the Annual report. The Director met with members of the Management Board when invitedto their country, as it was the case in Denmark and Poland. Due to the building issue, relations with Portuguese authorities continued to be of the outmost importance. The Director thanked the PT member of the Management Board for his assistance in this matter.

Mr Francisco Fonseca-Morillo, representative of the European Commission, wondered ifcontacts had been established with Colombia, whileUKaskedabout the outcomeof the meeting with the European Centre for Disease and Prevention Control (ECDC).

The Director informed that the Ambassador of Colombia in Portugal asked about information about participating in EU programmes. He was further invited to a conference on Colombia in the UK in November. After consultation with DG JLS, Mr Paul Griffiths, scientific coordinator, made a factual presentation and avoided any political statement.

A cooperation agreement has been prepared to formalise the regular exchange between the EMCDDA and the ECDC, mainly in the area of infectious diseases. While the ECDC focuses on diseases as such, the EMCDDA concentrates on specific risk groups (injecting drug users). The EMCDDA is interested in the overall picture, and the ECDC in detailed information on risk groups and transfer of methodology. The Management Board will be requested to adopt the draft cooperation agreement during the current meeting.

V. Points for decision/adoption by the Management Board

• Elections of the Chair and Vice-Chair of the Management BoardEMCDDA/40/06

(restricted session)

Decision:As for all functions there was each time only one single candidate, the Management Board agreed to hold the elections by show-of-hands.Mr Marcel Reimen (LU) was elected by 28 votes for and 1 abstention for a second mandate as Chair of the Management Board. Mr Ralf Löfstedt (SE) was elected by unanimity for a second mandate as Vice-Chair of the Management Board.

• Election of one Bureau member for 2007(restricted session)EMCDDA/41/06

Decision:As for all functions there was each time only one single candidate, the Management Board agreed to hold the elections by show-of-hands.Mr Piotr Jablonski (PO)was elected by unanimity as member of the Bureau. A working group composed of Mr Claude Gillard (BE), Mr Mogens Jorgensen (DK) and Ms Monika Blum (EMCDDA) will revise the rules of procedure to be adopted by written procedure.

• Election of one Budget Committee member for 2007-2010 (restricted session)EMCDDA/42/06

Decision:As for all functions there was each time only one single candidate, the Management Board agreed to hold the elections by show-of-hands.Mr Claude Gillard (BE)was elected by unanimity for a second three-year mandate as member of the Budget Committee. On 14 December 2006, the Budget Committee re-elected at unanimity Mr Claude Gillard as Chair.

• Contractual situation of the Director (restricted session)

Decision: The Management Board decided, with 27 votes in favor and 2 abstentions, to reclassify the Director, Mr Wolfgang Götz, from grade AD 14 to AD 15, as from 1 May 2007 on.

• Budget for 2007EMCDDA/43/06

The Chair of the Budget Committeereported that the Budget Committee stressed a remarkable budget execution of 98 % of the 2006 budget on 12 December, which shows that the amount of the 2007 budget can be considered as realistic.

Mr Jacques Sant’Ana Calazans, representative of the European Commission, congratulated the EMCDDA for the good execution rate of its 2006 budget, as well as for the activity based budget presentation of the 2007 budget in its annex 4. He added that the work programme should give an indication on the use of the appropriations in respect of its different activities, in order to be equivalent to a financing decision. The Commission confirmed that the financial framework for the period 2007-2013 were adopted by the Council for 27 Member States and expressed in 2004 current prices. The financial programming of the Commission is expressed in current prices. Point 16 of the Inter-institutional Agreement of 17 May 2006 on budgetary discipline and sound financial managementforesees a fixed 2% annual deflator for all expenditure. It is therefore possible to calculate the expenditure ceilings at current prices for the whole period 2007-2013 and these figures as well as the margins beneath the ceiling of different headings are explicitly shown in the Commission's programming.

UKwondered about the decrease in the amount earmarked for ICT expenditure.
The Director explained that the EMCDDA received an offer for the ICT part of the FONTE projectwhich was cheaper than expected, and that the replacement of some equipment had been postponed to 2008.

DK reminded that it voted against the preliminary draft budget 2007, since it opposed the reduction of the amount of the Reitox financing. DK stated it will not support any further reductions of co-financing for national focal points in 2008.

Decision: The Management Board adopted at unanimity the EMCDDA budget for 2007.

• Work programme for 2007EMCDDA/44/06

The Director summarised the main priorities and activities of the 2007 work programme, which has been prepared with the input of the Reitox focal points. In accordance with article 8 of the EMCDDA founding regulation, the EMCDDA Scientific Committee and the European Commission have been consulted and drafted positive opinions on the document.

The members of the Management Board congratulated the Director and his staff for the clearness, coherence and thoroughness of the document, and its output oriented approach.

UKasked for details on how responses to cocaine will be covered in 2007.

ESenquired about the date of publication of the cannabis monograph, and wondered if the planned drugs profile on cocaine, and thematic papers backing up the EU Action Plan will be internal reports or publications.

FR welcomed the quality of the meeting documents in general and of the work programme, in particular its focus on polydrug use and on an effective dissemination of the outputs. FRsupported the opinion of the Scientific Committee. It suggested that the EMCDDA should plan more work on problems of cannabis users in 2008.

BE expressed that its Scientific Committee member was pleased bythe accent put on the core business of the EMCDDA, and stressed the importance of communication.

DK proposed to delete on page 10, in the context of the European legal database, the formulation ‘including extending legal topic overviews’. DK also enquired about the signification of ‘review of environmental testing techniques’.

NL asked which activities were planned in the field of supply reduction, if the EMCDDA had a view on the quality assurance of such data, and if data analysis will be articulated with Europol.

IT also stressed the need to work more on supply reduction,for which a common definition should be found. Supply data,in particular drug-related crime data, could be further evaluated. Besides, the broadening of the remit of the EMCDDA to polydrug use through the recast of the regulation was considered important.

CY wondered if reference to alcohol abuse could not be included in the standard tables on the treatment demand indicator, since alcohol was the main licit substance combined with the consumption of illegal drugs.Mr Michael Hübel, representative of the European Commission, informed that the Commission will finalise a communication on alcohol-related harmin October 2007. DK specifiedthat the EMCDDA’s mandate concerns alcohol related to the use of illicit drugs, and that alcohol could not be treated separately.

Mr Carel Edwards, representative of the European Commission, underlined the improvement in the coherence at the EMCDDA and in the cooperation at EU level. The EMCDDA played an increasingly important role in supporting the European Commission and the MemberStates in the assessment of the EU Action Plan on Drugs. The Commission stressed the good cooperation with the EMCDDA, and informed that theCentre was now invited to the monthly inter-services drug group meetings.The European Commission took special interest in the activities in the areas of harm reduction, drug treatment and drugs in prisons, and welcomed the objective of transfer of know-how to third countries, in particular potential candidate countries.

Mr Jacques Sant’Ana Calazans, representative of the European Commission,stated that the work programme should include an indication on the use of the appropriations in respect of its different activitiesin line with the proposed 2007 budget. According to article 60 of the EMCDDA financial regulation, the work programme shall be equivalent to a financing decision for the activities it covers, provided that they are clearly identified and described sufficiently detailed with regard to their objectives, expected results, indicative budget and timetables in line with the Financial Regulation. The budgetary implications of the actions foreseen in the work programme have to be reflected in the respective budget statements which should be presented with the work programme. Annex 4 of the 2007 budget should be added to the work programme.

The Chair of the Scientific Committeesynthesised the positive opinion of the Scientific Committee.

UKurged the EMCDDAto emphasise not only the ‘bad’ drug situation such as in the case of its country, but also the responses brought to problems. Its government interpreted the Annual report figures as confirmation of bad news.

To assure that Ministers are informed in time as well as to guarantee an adequate preparation of press releases by the responsible authorities,AT wished that the Management Board could have timely access to draft press releases on the Annual report.

The Directoranswered to the various questions raised:

-cocaine, and specifically problematic drug use, will continue to be an important issue for the 2007 Annual report and a key element in best practice;

-the ‘review of environmental testing techniques’ will analyse the recent phenomenon of traces of cocaine found in waste waters and rivers in countries such as DE, ES, IT and the USA. The EMCDDA will report to the Management Board on the results of this analysis;

-a drug profile on cocaine will be published on the website by the end of January 2007;

-thematic papers support the evaluation of the EU Action Plan on Drugs. The EMCDDA hands them over to the European Commission which we publish on our website after the European Commission ahs integrated the information which is pertinent to its progress review on the implementation of theEU Action Plan on Drugs. They could be also forwarded to any interested member of the Management Board upon request;

-in the area of problematic drug use, the EMCDDA will concentrate on the definition of problematic cannabis use, and a working group will be set up to measure the cannabis problem through population surveys;

-the ELDD database provides useful overviews on laws or applications of laws, sometimes also in national languages;

-the EMCDDA does not intend to develop a data collection system on supply reduction, but will rely on data gathered by national focal points and law enforcement agencies such as Europol, Interpol, and WCO. In terms of quality assurance of such data, the EMCDDA can check the data but can not go back to their sources;

-the cannabis monograph will be published during the first half of 2007;

-finally, the Director pointed out that usually governments seek for good news, while journalists prefer bad news. All depends on the interpretation given to the data, yet he agreed that more light should be given to responses in the Annual report.

Decision: The Management Board adopted at unanimity the EMCDDA work programme for 2007, including annex 4 of the 2007 budget.

• Preliminary draft budget for 2008EMCDDA/45/06

The Chair of the Budget Committee outlined the mainfeatures of the 2008 PDB, which is based on the calculation of a 2% inflation rate plus 2008 expected automatic adjustments of expenditure for salary (advancement in steps, annual adjustment) and promotions. The budget is realistic and stable since only a nominal increase is taken into account. He stressed that the global amount for the REITOX co-financing would stay the same since no new Member States were expected in 2008. A Budget Committee meeting on 10 May 2007 will examine the financial implications of the building project for 2008.

UK, DK and DE expressed concern about maintaining the same global amount for the REITOX co-financing as in 2007.

The European Commission proposed to add the amount of the CARDS programme in 2007 (700 000 €) in the summary, to delete the last part of the third bullet point under budget title 3 on page 3, and to review the project on drug-related crime since the European Commission was planning an activity in this area in 2007. It was also suggested to add an activity based budget estimation to annex 4. The Commission will not be able to take position on the amounts of the EC subsidy for 2008, and will abstain from voting.