Combatting drugs: information exchange, risk-assessment and control of new psychoactive substances

2003/0215(CNS)

The committee adopted the report by Hubert PIRKER (EPP-ED, A) broadly approving the proposal under the consultation procedure, subject to a number of mainly technical and drafting amendments seeking to simplify the procedures for the exchange of information and risk assessment and streamline the text. MEPs also said that a Joint Report should be a precondition for the carrying out of a risk assessment and that a written request from one-third (as opposed to one-half) of the Member States should be sufficient to have a risk assessment carried out. Other amendments sought to ensure that Parliament is notified about the measures taken by the Member States and about the impact of the Decision. Lastly, the committee added a new clause stipulating that the EMCDDA and Europol should report on their experiences relating to coordination between the early-warning system and the pharmacovigilance system.