Turkeys Participation in EMCDDA

Agreement concerning the participation of the Republic of Turkey in the European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction (EMCDDA) will be initialled at the premises of Turkish Academy against Organised Crime and Drugs (TADOC) on 26 August 2004 at 15.30 p.m.

"The Turkish Government in the course of process towards accession to the European Union is actively enhancing its administrative capacity in order to ensure successful adaptation of Turkish institutions to EU standards and norms. In this respect, Turkey will cooperate with the EU in fight against drugs through establishing a National Focal Point within TADOC, " told European Union Delegatıon Of The European Commission To Turkey. .

The commission made a press release today and said: "The Focal Point will ensure Turkey's active involvement and full participation in the efforts of the EMCDDA. Apart from Turkey, also Romania and Bulgaria as candidate countries have joined the efforts of the Centre."

"The EMCDDA is the central reference point for drug information in the EU. Set up in 1993, and based in Lisbon, its role is to provide the EU and its Member States with objective, reliable and comparable information on drugs and drug addiction. As a result of the Centre's efforts to date, countries can now examine common problems and goals in the fight against drugs phenomenon."

"The EMCDDA is focusing more on demand reduction, which is also the top priority of the EU Action Plan on Drugs (2000-2004). Therefore the co-operation to be established will strengthen TADOC in not only addressing the supply aspect but also the demand aspect of the problem. Through effective exchange of information TADOC will improve its capabilities in collecting and analysing data on drug addiction. From now on Turkey will participate to the Centre's meetings as an obsever, exchange information on drugs and involve in joint trainings."(YE)