The aim of the proposal is to strengthen the EU early warning system and the risk assessment procedure to ensure a faster and more effective process.

Over the past decade, there has been a massive increase in new psychoactive substances being recorded, both in Europe and worldwide; and there are no signs of this trend slowing. In 2015, 100 new substances were reported by the EU Early Warning System, which meant that the total number of new substances being monitored increased to more than 560. More than 380 of these substances (70 per cent) have been discovered in the last five years alone.  

 

Accordingly, the European Commission has presented its “Proposal for a regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council amending Regulation (EC) No 1920/2006 as regards information exchange, early warning system and risk assessment procedure on new psychoactive substances” (COM/2016/547 final from 29 August 2016).  

 

The aim of the proposal is to strengthen the EU early warning system and the risk assessment procedure to ensure a faster and more effective process. In order to speed up the process, deadlines will be significantly shortened compared to the current system which is based on Council Decision 2005/387/JHA. As a means of collecting information quickly and effectively, the EMCDDA should enter into working agreements with Europol, the European Medicines Agency, the European Chemical Agency and the European Food Safety Authority following publication of the Regulation in the Official Journal.  

 

Proposal COM(2016) 547 final can be viewed online at: 

http://ec.europa.eu/transparency/regdoc/rep/1/2016/EN/1-2016-547-EN-F1-1.PDF