European Union Drugs Agency - EUDA

05/11/2025

🟣 Protecting Europe’s youth from criminal networks

The last thematic session of the EUDA Reference Group meeting explored how to prevent young people from being recruited into Europe’s illicit drug markets — a growing challenge that happens both on the street and online.

Experts discussed strategies for early prevention, stronger referral pathways and community partnerships, alongside innovative digital monitoring tools that detect early signs of online recruitment. The session highlighted the need for strengthening evidence-based responses to protect vulnerable youth and to enhance resilience.

📘 Learn more about the Safe Futures project — a two-year EUDA initiative in partnership with the University of Limerick’s Research Evidence into Policy, Programmes and Practice team, working to develop evidence-based strategies and cross-sector collaboration to prevent youth recruitment into criminal drug networks: https://www.euda.europa.eu/activities/drug-related-violence_en -futures-project

📗 Explore the European Prevention Curriculum (EUPC): https://www.euda.europa.eu/best-practice/european-prevention-curriculum-eupc_en

05/11/2025

🟢 From forest loss to toxic waste

Today, we continued the EUDA Reference Group meeting on drug markets and crime with a deep dive into the environmental consequences of illicit drug production.

🌱 Dr Thomas ter Laak from the KWR Water Research Institute presented an EUDA-supported project to develop a conceptual framework for monitoring environmental damage pathways. From the high water and energy demands of illicit indoor cannabis cultivation to the deforestation linked to coca farming, the environmental footprint of drug production is significant. In the EU, the dumping of toxic chemical waste from synthetic drug production is a major concern and the environmental impact of drug residues in wastewater is largely unknown.

This work aims to close critical knowledge gaps and support evidence-based responses to reduce the harm drugs cause to the natural environment. Stay tuned for future updates!

04/11/2025

🔴 From poppy fields to policy

At today’s EUDA Reference Group meeting, our thematic session on the external dimensions of drug markets explored how global dynamics influence Europe’s drug landscape.

🌐 Dr David Mansfield, one of the world’s foremost experts on Afghanistan, shared key insights from his EUDA-supported monitoring project. Drawing on several research methods, including satellite imagery, his research shows how Afghanistan — Europe’s main he**in supplier — is adapting to ongoing efforts to prohibit crystal methamphetamine production.

This work is vital for enhancing Europe’s in responding to the evolving threats posed by international drug markets.

🔎 Learn more about how Afghanistan’s methamphetamine and opiates production evolved under the Taliban’s current drug ban: https://www.euda.europa.eu/publications/technical-reports/understanding-impact-taliban-drug-ban-afghanistan_en

04/11/2025

🔵 From data to action: understanding drug-related violence

The first thematic session of the EUDA Reference Group meeting revolved around drug-related violence and homicide — a complex and urgent topic with both European and global dimensions.

📊 Experts Professor Marieke Liem (Leiden University, NL), Professor Kim Möller (Malmö University, SE) and Professor Laura Atuesta (EAFIT Medellín, CO) shared insights from EU-wide surveys, national data tables and international research. The session explored how drug-related homicide is defined and measured, and what current data reveal about violence linked to drug markets — from cocaine-related violence in northern Europe to policy-relevant findings from Latin America.

This work helps build a clearer picture of the links between drug markets and violence and supports more targeted, evidence-based responses.

📘 Find out more about our work on drug-related violence: euda.europa.eu/activities/drug-related-violence_en

04/11/2025

🌍 Shaping Europe’s response to drug market challenges

Today marks the start of the EUDA Reference Group meeting on Drug Markets and Crime in Lisbon — bringing together leading experts to share insights and strengthen Europe’s preparedness against evolving drug market threats.

Over two days, participants will explore key dimensions of the drug market, from violence and global dynamics to environmental impacts and youth recruitment. This collaboration helps identify emerging trends and guide evidence-based responses to improve security across Europe.

📘 Learn more about the meeting and its objectives: euda.europa.eu/news/2025/euda-gathers-leading-experts-lisbon-address-key-dimensions-europes-drug-market_en

03/11/2025

🔍 The Primeiro Comando da Capital (PCC), Brazil’s most notorious organised criminal group, has recently attracted attention in the Portuguese media. To strengthen and provide accurate background information, we partnered with the Polícia Judiciária today to host a seminar at their headquarters in Lisbon.

In this session, Brazilian sociologist Gabriel Feltran, one of the world’s leading academic experts on the PCC, shared his knowledge with the Portuguese authorities and international law enforcement partners. The session aimed to improve institutional understanding of transnational organised crime and support informed responses to emerging threats.

➡️ Stay tuned as we continue the conversation tomorrow at the EUDA Reference Group meeting — where experts will explore key dimensions of Europe’s drug market, from violence and global dynamics to environmental impacts and youth recruitment.

31/10/2025

Exploring the future of digital communication together! 🚀

Earlier this month, we hosted the HCIN Digital communication sub-group meeting together with European Union Agency for Cybersecurity. Over two inspiring days, around 50 communication experts from EU agencies and bodies came together to share ideas on:

✅ Social media best practices
✅ AI-powered strategies
✅ Creative storytelling and visual communication

The energy and collaboration showed how working together makes our digital presence stronger across the EU network.

👉 Read more here: https://www.euda.europa.eu/news/2025/eu-communicators-explore-new-trends-digital-age_en

31/10/2025

📰 The October edition of Drugnet Europe is out!

In this issue:
🔬 First in-person meeting of the Network of labs
📊 Key findings from the ESPAD Report 2024
📅 Registration opens for the European Drugs Winter and Summer Schools 2026
🌍 Our first official visit to Egypt
📣 Have your say in the EDR 2025 user survey

Catch up on all the highlights here: https://mailchi.mp/euda/drugnet-europe-193-october2025

And don’t forget to subscribe for future editions: https://europa.us7.list-manage.com/subscribe?u=7661463396b2fc9d763392225&id=3f011a8795

30/10/2025

🌍 Do you want to understand Europe’s drug challenges from the inside?

Early bird registration is now open for the European Drugs Winter and Summer Schools 2026 — two unique learning experiences designed for professionals, students and researchers working on drug-related issues.

❄️ Winter School (online)

📅 02-13 March 2026
🎯 Special focus: The role of social media in the drugs field
💡 Live expert lectures, virtual fieldwork, interactive exercises
➡️ Register here: euda.europa.eu/event/2026/02/european-drugs-winter-school-2026_en

☀️ Summer School (in person, Lisbon)

📅 22 June–03 July 2026
🎯 Special focus: A whole-of-society approach to drugs
💡 Study visits, workshops, open debates
➡️ Register here: euda.europa.eu/event/2026/06/european-drugs-summer-school-2026_en

Both schools offer academic credits and are open to participants worldwide.

📢 First come, first served — secure your spot now!

🤝 Iscte - Instituto Universitário de Lisboa, IPPS-Iscte

30/10/2025

🎥 EUDA in action: Sharing the European Union’s expertise

Here’s a glimpse of the energy and collaboration that powered our recent visit to , where we worked with Nacionalni inštitut za javno zdravje - NIJZ and EU enlargement partners on strengthening Early Warning Systems (EWS) for new psychoactive substances.

Together, we shared knowledge, built connections and learned from Slovenia’s experience — because strong networks make Europe safer. 💪

👉 Read more about the visit: euda.europa.eu/news/2025/euda-and-slovenian-nfp-strengthen-cooperation-drug-early-warning-systems-eu-enlargement-partners_en
👉 Learn about the EU Early Warning System on NPS: euda.europa.eu/activities/eu-early-warning-system-on-nps_en
👉 Discover how we work with partners: euda.europa.eu/activities/partners-and-international-cooperation_en

The visit was organised in the framework of EU-funded technical cooperation projects implemented by the EUDA (EUDA-IPA8 and EU4Monitoring Drugs II).

28/10/2025

💡 Reminder: Our webinar is tomorrow!

Tech is reshaping how we respond to drug-related health and social challenges — and we’re diving into it in our upcoming session.

📅 Date and time: Wednesday, 29 October 2025 🕒 12:00–13:30 Lisbon time (WEST) 🕒 13:00–14:30 (CEST)

If you’ve already signed up, we look forward to seeing you there!

🔗 If not, there’s still time to register: euda.europa.eu/event/2025/10/euda-webinar-tech-based-health-and-social-responses-drug-problems_en

💻 Curious about how technology is transforming health and social responses to drug-related problems?

Join our webinar: Tech-based health and social responses to drug problems

📅 Date and time: Wednesday, 29 October 2025 🕒 12:00–13:30 Lisbon time (WEST) 🕒 13:00–14:30 (CEST)

Register now: euda.europa.eu/event/2025/10/euda-webinar-tech-based-health-and-social-responses-drug-problems_en

27/10/2025

This month we held the first in-person meeting of our Network of forensic and toxicological laboratories, where experts from across Europe worked together to strengthen EU against drug-related threats.

🧪 At the meeting we launched our first Analytical reference standards kit.

This kit contains reference samples of 14 new synthetic opioids (including nitazenes and orphines) and will support over 60 laboratories across Europe in ensuring consistency in testing and data generation.

✅ By providing these tools, we help laboratories detect emerging substances faster and strengthen the scientific foundation for drug monitoring and response.

Discover more about the network and its objectives: euda.europa.eu/activities/network-of-labs_en