The Co-operation Group to Combat Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking in Drugs (Pompidou Group) is an intergovernmental body founded in 1971 at the initiative of French President Georges Pompidou. Now, Italy proudly takes over (for the first time) the Presidency of the Group.
Initially, this informal forum brought together seven European Countries – France, Belgium, Germany, Italy, Luxembourg, Netherlands, United Kingdom – united by the desire to share their experiences in the fight against drug abuse and illicit trafficking of drugs. Cooperation has gradually extended to other Countries. In 1980, the Pompidou Group has been integrated into a Partial Agreement of the Council of Europe. Today it brings together 41 member States. Since 1990, cooperation has been extended to European Countries of Central and Eastern Europe which are not members of the Group (Albania, Latvia, Ukraine). In addition, non-European Countries (Canada, United States, Holy See) have been invited to participate in certain activities, while the EU is associated with his work. Since 2006, the Group is also developing cooperation with Mediterranean Countries (Algeria, Tunisia, Lebanon, Egypt and Jordan).
The primary mission of the Pompidou Group is to contribute to the development of national multidisciplinary, innovative and effective policies in the fight against drug addiction. It aims to create a link between national policies, practices and scientifical points of view, focusing on the implementation of programs against drugs at the local level.
The Pompidou Group is a multidisciplinary forum at European level for policy makers, professionals and researchers to exchange ideas and information on the various problems resulting from drug abuse and drug trafficking.
In addition, the Pompidou Group pursues a link function (“bridging role”) between member and non-member Countries and the European Union, as with neighboring Countries in the Mediterranean region.
The Pompidou Group has the following structure:
The Conference of Ministers – is the political authority of the Pompidou Group, which gathers every four years the Ministers responsible for drug policy, defines strategies and adopts the work program of the Group;
The permanent correspondents – nominated by the Member States to monitor the Group’s activities and develop the work program;
The ad hoc expert groups – they bring their interdisciplinary expertise on specific issues and topics.
Program activities are organized into six work platforms: prevention, treatment, criminal justice, ethics, research, airports.
MEDNET NETWORK
The Mediterranean cooperation network MedNET on drugs and drug addiction (including alcohol and tobacco) was launched in late 2006 for a trial period of one year (2006-2007) and was confirmed recognising its validity, especially because of its flexibility of operation.
The objective of MedNet is to improve the quality of the implementation of drug policy in all participating countries with an emphasis on a better understanding of cultural factors related to political intervention, through the promotion of cooperation, exchange and transfer of knowledge between Mediterranean Countries and European Countries donor members of the Pompidou Group (North-South and South-North trade), but even among the Mediterranean Countries (South-South trade).
The network currently consists of 18 countries: 11 Pompidou Group members (Cyprus, Croatia, France, Greece, Italy, Malta, Morocco, Portugal, Slovenia, Switzerland, Turkey) and 7 non-members (Algeria, Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon, Palestine*, Spain, Tunisia).
The network is funded by voluntary contributions: Italy (Department of Drug Policy) in 2015 has funded the organisation of three roundtables, respectively in Morocco, Tunisia and Egypt.
*This designation shall not be construed as recognition of a State of Palestine and is without prejudice to the individual positions of Council of Europe member States on this issue.