Pompidou Group
Encyclopedia
Co-operation Group to Combat Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking in Drugs (Pompidou Group) is an inter-governmental body formed in 1971 at the suggestion of the late French President Georges Pompidou
.
, Belgium
, Germany
, Italy
, Luxembourg
, Netherlands
, United Kingdom
– looking to share their experience of combating drug abuse and drug trafficking. The cooperation was subsequently extended to include new countries and at present the Pompidou Group comprises 36 member states (Austria, Azerbaijan, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Macedonia, Malta, Morocco, Netherlands,Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russian Federation, San Marino, Serbia, Slovak Republic, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey). The Commission of the European Communities has taken part in the Group's activities since 1986, to improve coordination between the two organisations and is represented by a permanent correspondent. The United Kingdom withdrew from the group on 1 January 2011. Morocco, which joined the agreement on 1 July 2011, is the first non-European member State.
In 1980 the Group was incorporated into the institutional framework of the Council of Europe
as a Partial Agreement
, and today it is part of DG III, the Directorate General of Social Cohesion. Shortly after joining the Council of Europe, the Group embarked on one of the key features of its work: compiling and harmonising information so that trends in drug addiction could be closely monitored.
Since 1990, technical co-operation has been extended to countries of central and eastern Europe which are not members of the Pompidou Group. Furthermore, non-European countries, like Canada
and the USA, have also been invited to take part in past activities.
The shifting, dynamic nature of the drug phenomenon has required the Group to adapt its role in order to deal with emerging problems and changes in the drug situation. Flexibility and capacity for innovation are two key attributes that have assisted the Group in meeting this challenge.
Against an international background characterized by the presence of many European and international bodies working on drugs, the Pompidou Group provides a multidisciplinary forum at the wider European level where it is possible for policy-makers, professionals and researchers to discuss and exchange information and ideas on the whole range of drug misuse and trafficking problems. In order to carry out this mission, it adopts a multidisciplinary, integrated approach to all drug problems and employs a variety of working methods.
Because of its links with the Council of Europe it also ensures that policy recommendations are consistent with public policy as elaborated in other fields of Council work, such as public health, social cohesion and penal policy, with particular emphasis on ethical issues.
In addition, the Pompidou Group undertakes a bridging role both between EU and non-EU European countries and towards neighbouring countries in the Mediterranean region. The accession of Morocco in 2011 has been presented as a move to reduce Morocco's role as a supplier of cannabis
.
For many years Morocco was the world's main cannabis supplier.
BRULE, C. : The role of the Pompidou Group of the Council of Europe in combating drug abuse and illicit drug trafficking. - In : Bull Narc, vol. 35, no. 4 (Oct.-Dec. 1983, pp.73-77)
HARTNOLL, R. ET AL. : A multi-city study of drug use in Europe. - In : Bull Narc, vol. 41, nos. 1-2 (1989), pp.3-27
LUCKETT, Christopher : Le Groupe de coopération du Conseil de l'Europe en matière de lutte contre l'abus et le trafic illicite de stupéfiants (Groupe Pompidou). - In : Echanges santé-social, n° 81 (mars 1996), pp.10-11
NAGLER, N.A. : The Council of Europe Co-operation Group to Combat Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking in Drugs (the Pompidou Group). - In : Bull Narc, vol. 39, no. 1 (Jan.-Mar. 1987), pp.31-40
Georges Pompidou
Georges Jean Raymond Pompidou was a French politician. He was Prime Minister of France from 1962 to 1968, holding the longest tenure in this position, and later President of the French Republic from 1969 until his death in 1974.-Biography:...
.
History
Initially, this informal forum consisted of seven European countries – FranceFrance
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
, Belgium
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
, Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
, Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
, Luxembourg
Luxembourg
Luxembourg , officially the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg , is a landlocked country in western Europe, bordered by Belgium, France, and Germany. It has two principal regions: the Oesling in the North as part of the Ardennes massif, and the Gutland in the south...
, Netherlands
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
, United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
– looking to share their experience of combating drug abuse and drug trafficking. The cooperation was subsequently extended to include new countries and at present the Pompidou Group comprises 36 member states (Austria, Azerbaijan, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Macedonia, Malta, Morocco, Netherlands,Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russian Federation, San Marino, Serbia, Slovak Republic, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey). The Commission of the European Communities has taken part in the Group's activities since 1986, to improve coordination between the two organisations and is represented by a permanent correspondent. The United Kingdom withdrew from the group on 1 January 2011. Morocco, which joined the agreement on 1 July 2011, is the first non-European member State.
In 1980 the Group was incorporated into the institutional framework of the Council of Europe
Council of Europe
The Council of Europe is an international organisation promoting co-operation between all countries of Europe in the areas of legal standards, human rights, democratic development, the rule of law and cultural co-operation...
as a Partial Agreement
Partial agreement
Partial agreement is a term used within the Council of Europe to refer to a major activity of European cooperation that is organised by the Council of Europe but does not include all of its member states. This form of activity dates from a resolution adopted by the Council of Europe's Committee of...
, and today it is part of DG III, the Directorate General of Social Cohesion. Shortly after joining the Council of Europe, the Group embarked on one of the key features of its work: compiling and harmonising information so that trends in drug addiction could be closely monitored.
Since 1990, technical co-operation has been extended to countries of central and eastern Europe which are not members of the Pompidou Group. Furthermore, non-European countries, like Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
and the USA, have also been invited to take part in past activities.
Today
The Pompidou Group’s core mission is to contribute to the development of multidisciplinary, innovative, effective and evidence-based drug policies in its member states. It seeks to link Policy, Practice and Science and focuses especially on the realities of local implementation of drug programmes.The shifting, dynamic nature of the drug phenomenon has required the Group to adapt its role in order to deal with emerging problems and changes in the drug situation. Flexibility and capacity for innovation are two key attributes that have assisted the Group in meeting this challenge.
Against an international background characterized by the presence of many European and international bodies working on drugs, the Pompidou Group provides a multidisciplinary forum at the wider European level where it is possible for policy-makers, professionals and researchers to discuss and exchange information and ideas on the whole range of drug misuse and trafficking problems. In order to carry out this mission, it adopts a multidisciplinary, integrated approach to all drug problems and employs a variety of working methods.
Because of its links with the Council of Europe it also ensures that policy recommendations are consistent with public policy as elaborated in other fields of Council work, such as public health, social cohesion and penal policy, with particular emphasis on ethical issues.
In addition, the Pompidou Group undertakes a bridging role both between EU and non-EU European countries and towards neighbouring countries in the Mediterranean region. The accession of Morocco in 2011 has been presented as a move to reduce Morocco's role as a supplier of cannabis
Cannabis
Cannabis is a genus of flowering plants that includes three putative species, Cannabis sativa, Cannabis indica, and Cannabis ruderalis. These three taxa are indigenous to Central Asia, and South Asia. Cannabis has long been used for fibre , for seed and seed oils, for medicinal purposes, and as a...
.
For many years Morocco was the world's main cannabis supplier.
Further reading
ARNOULD, Michel : Finding answers to addiction : Pompidou Group. - In : Forum (Council of Europe) (June 1994), p.18BRULE, C. : The role of the Pompidou Group of the Council of Europe in combating drug abuse and illicit drug trafficking. - In : Bull Narc, vol. 35, no. 4 (Oct.-Dec. 1983, pp.73-77)
HARTNOLL, R. ET AL. : A multi-city study of drug use in Europe. - In : Bull Narc, vol. 41, nos. 1-2 (1989), pp.3-27
LUCKETT, Christopher : Le Groupe de coopération du Conseil de l'Europe en matière de lutte contre l'abus et le trafic illicite de stupéfiants (Groupe Pompidou). - In : Echanges santé-social, n° 81 (mars 1996), pp.10-11
NAGLER, N.A. : The Council of Europe Co-operation Group to Combat Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking in Drugs (the Pompidou Group). - In : Bull Narc, vol. 39, no. 1 (Jan.-Mar. 1987), pp.31-40