Strasbourg, 12/01/1998 (Agence Europe) - Nine MEPs from different political groups have written to their colleagues to invite them to support, during the vote next Thursday, the report by Hedy d'Ancona, which, they say, "could be a first major stage in the elaboration of a new European policy able to effectively oppose the enormous power of the drug mafia, the social situation and the dramatic health situation of drug addicts, as well as the growing insecurity caused by this gigantic illegal market" (see EUROPE of 10 January, pages 7 and 8 for the report).

The MEPs note that the report is founded on a "pragmatic approach" to the drugs problem, mainly considering the success obtained in some countries through the decriminalization of soft drug consumption and pilot programmes for the distribution of hard drugs under medical control. During their recent meeting, the EU health and justice ministers had declared that one should not consider drug addicts as criminals, but rather as people who are ill and who need appropriate treatment, recalls the letter.

Signatories are Olivier Dupuis and Gianfranco Dell'Alba of the Radical Alliance Group, the joint chairman of the Greens Group, Claudia Roth, the members of the Socialist Group, Rinaldo Bontempi and Martin Schulz, Luxembourg Liberal Charles Goerens, and also members of groups that are opposed to the d'Ancona Report, namely, from the EPP (Portuguese Helena Vaz da Silva and Greek Panayotis Lambrias) and Union for Europe (Forza Italia member Ernesto Caccavale).

Bulletin Quotidien Europe 7135 - 10/1/1998