PURPOSE: to subject N-(1-phenethylpiperidin-4-yl)-Nphenylacrylamide (acryloylfentanyl) to control measures.
PROPOSED ACT: Council implementing decision.
ROLE OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT: the Council adopts the act after consulting the European Parliament but without being obliged to follow its opinion.
BACKGROUND: acryloylfentanyl is a synthetic opioid which according to available data is a potent and long-lasting antinociceptive agent acting on the opioid system.
Acryloylfentanyl has been available in the European Union since at least April 2016 and has been detected in 6 Member States. Three Member States have collectively reported 47 deaths associated with acryloylfentanyl.
There is no information to suggest the involvement of organised crime in the manufacture, distribution, trafficking or supply of acryloylfentanyl within the Union. The available data suggest that most of the acryloylfentanyl on the market in Europe has been produced by chemical companies based in China
The substance has no established or acknowledged human or veterinary medical use. It is not currently under assessment by the United Nations system.
Although the risk assessment report reveals that there is limited scientific evidence available on acryloylfentanyl, available evidence and information on the health and social risks that the substance poses provides sufficient ground for subjecting acryloylfentanyl to control measures across the Union.
CONTENT: the objective of this proposal for a Council implementing decision is to subject acryloylfentanyl to control measures in the Union.
By one year from the date this Decision is published at the latest, Member States shall take the necessary measures, in accordance with their national law, to subject the new psychoactive substance to control measures and criminal penalties, as provided for under their legislation, complying with their obligations under the 1971 United Nations Convention on Psychotropic Substances.
The United Kingdom shall not take part in the adoption of this Decision and shall not bound by it or subject to its application,
For further details, please refer to the summary of the initial legislative proposal dated 06/04/2017.