
Highlights 2023 & Planning 2024

In this newsletter, The Pompidou Group highlights its achievements of 2023 and informs you about the upcoming activities and events in 2024.

1st Annual Conference of Drug Control Networks

STRASBOURG, FRANCE, 6-8 DECEMBER 2023

The first edition of a new conference format bringing together participants from different drug control and law enforcements sectors was an enormous success.

This integrated conference format allowed for more synergies between different law enforcement services, in particular border control, criminal investigation and customs services. As every year, the WCO RILO WE Annual report of seizures has been presented. The second edition will be organized in autumn 2024. Registrations will be opened in spring 2024.

Seminar on Drug prevention and Youth

VENICE, ITALY, 21 JUNE 2023

80 participants from 28 countries along with EMCDDA and UNODC attended the seminar on drug prevention and youth hosted by the Presidency of the Council of Ministers, Anti Drug Policy from Italy in Palazzo Francetti, Venice.

The recent initiative by PG to work on children and families affected by parental drug use and the presentation of 4 new publications were commended.

Prevention, the cornerstone of drug policies

PRESIDENCY STATEMENT, 26 JUNE 2023

On the occasion of the International day against drug abuse and illicit trafficking, which is dedicated this year to the theme “People first: stop stigma and discrimination, strengthen prevention”, the Italian Presidency of the Council of Europe Pompidou Group reaffirms its strong commitment to prevention, as a cornerstone of any drug policy respectful of human rights.

International Drug Policy Academy

In 2023 the second edition of the Drug Policy Executive course was successfully delivered.

This advanced course run by the International Drug Policy Academy is designed for professionals who work as managers or senior team members in the area of drug policies and addictions. The course covers all key competency areas required for performing managerial duties related to drug policy development, implementation and evaluation. Upon successful completion of the course, participants are awarded the “Certificate in Advanced Drug Policy Management”. The certification issued by the International Drug Policy Academy is designed in accordance with international substance use professional development and credentialing bodies.

Pompidou Group launches its work in the area of online addictions

PARIS, FRANCE, 10 AND 11 MAY 2023

Excessive online gaming and online gambling can result in significant risks

Pompidou Group launches its work in the area of online addictions

and harms, including addiction, social isolation, financial debt, and psychological distress. The Pompidou Group has been mandated to address these challenges. Following the call of nomination of experts, 14 member States have nominated their professionals to be part of the group. The group is comprised by expert from: Austria, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Czech Republic, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Israel, Mexico, Norway, North Macedonia, Portugal, Slovak Republic, Switzerland and the WHO. The group is mandated to prepare a comprehensive report on the issue together with ideas for regulatory approaches and a set of guidelines for policy makers.

International Forum on addictive behaviours and crimes associated with internet use

MEXICO CITY, MEXICO, 19-20 DECEMBER 2023

Over 200 representatives from 20 countries gathered in Mexico City at the Mexican Ministry for Security and Citizen Protection. The Forum was co-organised by the Pompidou Group, the Mexican Foreign Ministry and the Inter-American Drug Abuse Control Commission (CICAD) of the Organization of American States (OAS). The key topic was the increasing use of online gaming platforms by drug traffickers to recruit young people into illicit drug trading. As the darknet is losing popularity among drug cartels – because the authorities have become more effective in monitoring it – online video games and social networks are now being used to lure youth into illicit drug trading, because such gaming platforms are not well monitored.

3rd International Symposium on drug consumption rooms (DCRs) worldwide

STRASBOURG, FRANCE, 4 AND 5 MAY 2023

From 4-5 May, the Pompidou Group, in partnership with the City of Strasbourg, the Ithaque Association and the European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction (EMCDDA), organised the 3rd International Symposium of Drug Consumption Rooms, at the Council of Europe in Strasbourg.

Criminal Justice and Health in Prison Programme

Counting 11 years of cooperation on improving the health and treatment of people with substance use disorders in p

rison, the Pompidou Group’s Criminal Justice and Health in Prison Programme (CJHP) provided technical assistance in Eastern and South-East Europe. In 2023, the Programme

Assessed feasibility of introducing the first in-prison therapeutic community for treating addictions in Ukraine, ultimately leading to the launch of the Pompidou Group’s first fully fledged technical assistance project in Ukraine.
Conducted multidisciplinary training for staff of 4 Ukrainian prisons on introducing and running the opioid agonist treatment programme.
Piloted a complex re-entry program for detained men and women grappling with addiction in the Republic of Moldova.
Carried out research on the use of New Psychoactive Substances involving all Moldovan prisons.
Mapped training needs and available resources for prison staff on drugs and addictions in South-East European countries.
Facilitated the exchange of experiences and the third field visit of South-East European prison professionals.

MedNET

In 2023, capacity building and training in addictology and prevention extended in the Mediterranean Region with the support of countries outside MedNET such as Czech Republic who hosted a study visit for an Egyptian delegation.

Regional activities were developed with a 7 multi country study visit in Italy and the MedSPAD committee which methodology, expertise and knowledge was shared also with countries outside the network such as Libya and international organisations such as EMCDDA, WHO Regional Office Cairo, UNODC Regional Office, Burkina Faso. The network demonstrated once again its ability in terms of North South South North and South during the whole year.

Children and parents affected by parental drug use

Volume IV of the series of children and parents affected by parental drug use was published in 2023.

It analyses 33 programmes from 11 countries on:
a) actions in data gathering;
b) parenting programmes;
c) social and integrated services for children;
d) multidisciplinary, holistic approaches to working with families;
e) services for women victims and survivors of gender-based violence;
f) protocols of cooperation;
g) drug treatment services and residential communities for women and their children, focusing on non-stigmatising services and care and constitutes a tangible outcome in the PG objective of promoting human rights policy including children’s rights.

https://www.coe.int/en/web/pompidou/children ›

Enhancing cooperation in South-East Europe

In 2023, the Pompidou Group has continued to offer a unique working format within its South-East Europe (SEE) thematic cooperation groups on drug

trafficking via air and drug treatment in prison: a platform reuniting both EU and non-EU countries at regional level, allowing for an exchange of experience along specific thematic areas of the drugs field, trust and relationship building and collective learning. Independent assessments conducted on the longer-term results of these networks demonstrate a high commitment of group members and an added value generated for the member states through the fulfilment of the groups’ objectives. Through cooperation in a regional format, countries participating in this network were able to experiment with transferable solutions in a smaller scale, building on the common history, cultural and political specificities and common challenges faced in the region.

Supporting and strengthening thematic cooperation networks in South-East Europe (SEE) resulted in several initiatives of practical use for the participating professionals from 11 countries, showcasing the relevance of Pompidou Group activities for their work. Using the guidance paper on raising standards on drug treatment in prisons developed by the prison network (PRISEE), the state of implementation of standards was assessed in Montenegro. As a follow-up, a module on drugs and addictions is under development for prison staff with assistance by the Pompidou Group which is then planned to be adapted and introduced by other SEE members. The participating police and customs officers in the SEE Airports group conducted another joint operation focusing on drugs in 2024. They were also able to test countermeasures to specific methods by criminals to avoid detection in different country contexts, thus increasing officers’ operational knowledge in intercepting the trafficking of illicit drugs via air.

Implementing the first national drug prevention strategy in Georgia

The Pompidou Group successfully completed its first inaugural field Project

’’Developing a Drug Prevention Support Network for Parents and Professionals in Georgia’’ implemented from June 2022 till the end of December 2023. During this period, the Pompidou Group delivered several important activities in Georgia supporting Georgian authorities in implementing the National Drug Prevention Strategy and its Action Plan for 2022-2023, translating the policy document into concrete actions.

The major achievements of the project cover:

Furthermore, the Project developed and published a Practical Guidebook on the Pressing Issues of Mental Health in Georgian and delivered training on trainers for psychologists and social workers working in the criminal justice system. Along with cascade of prevention trainings, the Project delivered regional prevention trainings targeting school directors and representatives of local municipalities in 10 major cities of Georgia.

By the end of 2023, the Project provided expertise and technical assistance to the Ministry of Justice of Georgia in elaborating the 2nd National Drug Prevention Action for 2024-2026.


Planning for 2024

A second Annual Conference of Drug Control Networks will be organized in Autumn 2024 A wide range of activities will continue to be implemented within the two PG regional networks in South-East Europe and the Mediterranean A new session under the PG Thematic Training programme will be organized, on the topic "Improving access to, and quality of treatment" Work will be pursued on redefining the role of police in drug prevention, elaborating guidance on evaluating their contribution to drug prevention and a competency framework for officers A joint conference on improvement and safeguards of health conditions of persons deprived of their liberty with substance use disorders will be co-organised in the Autumn with the European National Preventive Mechanisms Forum A follow-up to the project successfully implemented in Georgia in the field of prevention over the last 18 months has been included in the new Council of Europe action plan for Georgia 2024-2026 Last but not least, the Pompidou Group will actively participate in two major international events: the 67th CND session in Vienna in March and the 5th edition of "Lisbon addictions" in October

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