STATEMENT BY THE PERMANENT REPRESENTATIVE OF THE NETHERLANDS ON BEHALF OF THE EU

Mr. Chairman,

Let me first congratulate you on your election as Chairman of this 40th Session of the Commission on Narcotic Drugs.

1. I have the honour to speak on behalf of the European Union. In my speech I will touch upon all relevant issues on the agenda of the 40th session of CND. Later on, the European Commission in its speech will elaborate on those issues dealing with the internal market (for example precursors, synthetic drugs, cooperation with third countries).

2. Let me start thanking Mr.Giorgio Giacomelli, the Executive Director of UNDCP, for the excellent job done. His leadership and guidance have inspired all those, working with and inside the UNDCP.

3. In the closing years of this century, the scourge of drug abuse continues to require urgent attention: its costs, both in human and in economic terms are enormous; new drugs have flooded the market; illicit drug trafficking has expanded into regions previously not affected. It is therefore of the utmost importance that international treaties on drugs control as well as other internationally agreed arrangements and action plans are implemented as soon as possible.

4. The European Union is aware of this and has always advocated the need for close international cooperation in tackling the drug problem. The drug phenomena are countered in a comprehensive approach in accordance with the principle of "shared resposibility", which already years ago replaced the dichotomy between producing and consuming countries, the then prevailing perception of the drug challenge. An integrated and coordinated strategy is called for, which takes into account the social, economic and cultural dimensions.

5. Since its establishement, UNDCP has made great efforts in applying such a strategy and in establishing its position as a centre of competence and as a reference point for international drug control. As described in the Executive Director's Report, the Programme has supported the efforts of Governments to counter the drug problem on a national, regional and international level.

Mr. Chairman,

6. UNDCP continues to face new challenges. The globalization of the world economy opens up vast opportunities for closer economic cooperation. Yet the same factors that contribute to liberalization of world trade also provide opportunities and means for drug trafficking groups to spread corruption, threatening the security and stability of states by undermining democratic institutions.

7. Recent years have also shown a change in the type of illicit consumption, with an increasing trend towards amphetamine-type substances, such as ecstasy. This tendency has consequences for the production and worldwide trade of illicit drugs. This requires increased efforts to prevent the diversion of precursors and essential chemicals used in the illicit manufacture of such drugs, and strengthened international cooperation in this area. It is necessary to reinforce the psychotropics substances control systems with a view to preventing the introduction of new substances in the illicit market of drugs. In this context, the European Union welcomes the report of the Expert Meeting on Amphetamine-type Stimulats held at Shanghai, from 25-29 November 1996. The number of initiatives for draft resolutions on this issue which have been presented to the Commission are an indication of the importance member states attach to it.

Under this heading I would also like to announce that the EU is preparting an "early warning mechanism" on new amphetamine-type stimulants. Experiences with this mechanism will be shared with other states and international organizations as soon as it is operational.

Mr.Chairman,

8. Regarding regional cooperation, the Dublin European Council of 13 and 14 December 1996 adopted the following guidelines:

- energetic implementation of the action plan to combat drugs in the Caribbean, as well as the implementation of the agreed follow-up of the report by the expert mission to Latin-America;

- further development of the structured dialogue with the associated countries of Central and Eastern Europe with regard to drug issues;

- following a proposal by President Chirac and Prime Minister Major, to examine ways to assist Central Asian republics, utilizing the TACIS programme, to fight transit in and production of drugs.

Coordination with transatlantic partners in these fields has also to be continued and strenghtened.

9. The European Union commends the Executive Director on his efforts to strengthen subregional, regional and interregional cooperation between Governments. We welcome the UNDCP's contribution to the adoption of the Regional Plan of Action for Drug Control Coordination in the Caribbean, adopted by the Regional Meeting on Drug Control Cooperation in the Caribbean, held at Bridgetown, Barbados, from 15-17 May 1996.

10. Furthermore, the European Union supports the improvement of drug control policies in Latin-America. At the meeting of the San Jose' group in The Netherlands, this support was undrlined by the EU and Central American Ministers of Foreign Affairs. In the beginning of April, at the meeting of the Rio-group in The Hague, the EU hopes that a similar intention can be underlined towards South-America.

11. An area of growing concern is Central Asia. The European Union fully supports the subregional drug control cooperation programme submitted by UNDCP and endorsed by the Governments of the countries in Central Asia in May 1996. A high-level European Union mission to Central-Asia is underway.

12. The European Union has intensified its cooperation with the associated Countries of Central and Eastern Europe and the Mediterranean and also enhanced its structured dialogue with them. At the same time the European Union has entered into closer cooperation with the Russian Federation. Furthermore, it is developing its contacts with the United States in the framework of the transatlantic dialogue, and with the countries of the Mediterranean Region and of the Baltic Sea Region.

13. The EU also welcomes the Plan of Action on Drug Control in Africa, adopted by the Organization of African Unity (OAU) at its Assembly of Heads of State and Government held at Yaounde' from 8 to 10 July 1996.

14. In the context of improved coordination, the European Union has repeatedly stressed the importance it attaches to enhanced inter-agency coordination. Some progress has been made in this area, but the overall potential for enhanced inter-agency coordination still seems to be far from fully exploited. In addition to the opportunities offered by the UN System Wide Action Plan on Drug Abuse Control, UNDCP should increase its efforts to promote this concept to ensure that agencies are sufficiently aware of its potential benefits. Such efforts are called for at headquarters as well as at field level.

15. Drug trafficking often takes place in the framework of organised crime, and is sometimes linked to other forms of crime including terrorism. Countering these forms of organised crime requires repressive as well as preventive strategies. Hence, it is useful to continue and further strengthen cooperation between UNDCP and the crime prevention division, as well as between CND and the commission on crime prevention and criminal justice. Also on other aspects of the drugs control strategy, close cooperation with other UN organizations, like WHO and WCO, is may be appropriate.

16. However, the financial resources available to UNDCP are in no way commensurate to the growing number of tasks being assigned to it, or to the extent of the drug problem facing the international community. The European Union is of the opinion that the Programme should be provided with the resources required to successfully carry out the mandate through a significant increase in the level of contributions. This cannot be achieved if the Programme remains dependent on a relatively small number of donors, including the European Union and its member States. It is essential that the donor base be extensively broadened. In this context, it is also necessary that the Programme receives an adequate amount of funding in the form of general-purpose contributions. A shortage of these resources, as foreseen, would seriously hamper its ability to fulfil its role as centre of competence.

17. In this respect, we welcome the fund raising efforts undertaken by UNDCP, which, after having identified sixty countries as existing or potential donors, has already led to some additional general purpose contributions from member States. In addition, with the objective of broadening the resource base in general, we encourage the Executive Director to continue examining other ways of funds mobilization, e.g. through increased cost sharing arrangements.

18. Given the limited financial resources available at present, efforts should be made to design clearer and more specific activities dealing with multisectoral drug issues. At the same time, we feel that improvements in management and gouvernance should be considered in order to make UNDCP even more effective.

19. Within the European Union, the drug problem has been identified as a continuing theme for action. Progress has been made during the last year in the field of cooperation in tackling drug problems.

20. During the Italian and Irish presidencies, important instruments were adopted for the improvement of the cooperation between judiciary, customs and law-enforcement services. A joint action on the approximation of laws and practices between EU-member states to combat drug addiction and to prevent and fight against drug production and drug trafficking was adopted. The Netherlands' presidency gives priority to the implementation of these instruments.

An other law enforcement issue, to which EU-member states give priority, concerns controlled deliveries. A handbook for EU-member states on this issue has been established. In this handbook clear procedures and up to date information on requirements to get approval from the authorities of other EU-member states for a controlled delivery are summed up. The EU-member states see this handbook as an indispensable tool for rapid action. Structures for cooperation, enhanced information exchange and in-depth analysis of the phenomenon of organised crime as well as coordinated and targeted actions against international networks of drug traffickers facilitate a more flexible and effective response to these well-organised forms of crime. Improved sharing of information in the field of money laundering will further strengthen this type of operations. The European Drugs Unit/EUROPOL to which all EU-member states have detached liaison officers, facilitates coordination and information exchange and improves the quality of

strategic analysis.

21. Furthermore, the fight aginst money-laundering remains an essential component of the international community's broader anti-drug and anti-crime strategies. The international community has adopted a number of bilateral, regional and multilateral instruments on money-laundering. These include, inter alia, the relevant parts of the 1988 United Nations Convention against Illicit Traffic in Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances, the 1990 Strasbourg Convention on money-laundering and the 40 recommendations of the Financial Action Task Force (FATF). Universal adherence to these international instruments, and their full implementation, would greatly enhance the ability of national economies to withstand the financial threats resulting from the activities of drug traffickers and organized crime. Article 7 of the 1988 Convention provides for a framework for mutual legal assistance in the fight against money-laundring and the other aspects of drug trafficking. It is essential that greater use is made of the Co

nventions provisions. This would also ensure that those engaged in these activities do not enjoy the proceeds of their crimes, and could more effectively be brought to justice.

22. The fight against drug abuse and drug trafficking cannot rely solely on law enforcement measures. We consider demand reduction to be a key objective in tackling the drug problem and an important part of a comprehensive drugs policy. Demand reduction measures limit drug abuse and a decrease in drug consumption is an essential element in fighting against illicit drugs. We therefore welcome the increasing attention UNDCP gives to demand reduction, as indicated by the draft declaration on the guiding principles of demand reduction, which was developed on the basis of recommendations by a working group following resolution 1996/18. We truly hope, that this declaration will inspire us to further deliberations on this important issue.

Therefore, demand reduction should be one of the main elements in the masterplans drawn up by the member states with the assistance of the UNDCP. As one of the elements of a comprehensive and integrated strategy against drugs within the EU, the Council adopted the "Programme of Community Action on the Prevention of Drug Dependence". With practical means this programme aims to stimulate cooperation between EU-member states, to support EU-member states in their preventive activities and to promote coordination of policy and programmes in order to prevent the use of and dependency on drugs.

Monitoring of drugs and drug abuse is considered important by the EU member states. The EMCDDA presented a first compilation of data from the EU-member states in 1996. This publication made even clearer than before that obtaining reliable and comparable data is still a major challenge. During the Netherlands' presidency, in close collaboration with EMCDDA, a conference will be held on the issue of monitoring.

23. A balanced approach giving equal priority to prevention and to treatment, rehabilitation and social reintegration of addicts is necessary. We consider an exchange of information at national, regional and international level with respect to programmes and policies developed within this framework extremely important. Besides governments, non-governmental organizations can play an important role, by making the general public, particularly the young, aware of the essence of the drugs problem.

At the same time, we want to emphasize the social dimension of the drug abuse problem. No effort for demand reduction would be complete without sufficient attention being given to the general economic and social framework of prevention and rehabilitation measures.

24. The European Union looks forward to the General Assembly's Special Session on Drugs in 1998, which will enable the international community to review international action undertaken in this area, as well as discussing strategies to address the problems caused by illicit drug consumption and trafficking. This Special Session should take the opportunity to concentrate on practical measures. It will allow the international community to reinforce its commitment to drug control measures and on the means of making UNDCP and CND more effective.

Mr. Chairman,

25. While also recalling the importance of alternative development, the European Union would like to express once again its belief that only an internationally coordinated and integrated approach can establish the basis for an effective strategy. This global approach provides member States with the indispensable international dimension in tackling the drug problem. It will not be sufficient simply to encourage the UNDCP in its efforts. Member States are called upon to take bilateral and regional initiatives in order to implement such strategies. It will be the responsibility of the member States to see to it that action is taken up in other parts of the UN system so as to ensure that the relevant policies are implemented at the domestic level.

26. In conclusion, I would like to renew the appeal to all member States to increase the level of voluntary contributions so that UNDCP can strengthen its core activities to confront the trend of increasing drug abuse.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman.