Towards Strengthened Preparedness and Response to New Psychoactive Substances in Europe

In January 2022, the European Commission proposed to strengthen the mandate of the EMCDDA, transforming it into the new EU Drugs Agency (EUDA) [1]. This new regulation aims to improve data sharing, preparedness, surveillance, risk assessment, early warning, prevention, and response [2]. Under the new regulation, the European Union Early Warning System (EWS) on New Psychoactive Substances (NPS) will continue to have a central role in supporting national- and EU-level preparedness and responses to NPS. The EWS, operational in Europe since 1997, was the first regional early warning system to be established to monitor new psychoactive substances (NPS) and has been recognized as a model for national, regional and international early warning systems [3]. The EU EWS rapidly detects, assesses, and responds to health and social threats caused by NPS. Data collected and analyzed include event-based data on seizures by law enforcement, collected samples and serious adverse events linked to NPS. These data are complemented by annual reports, which include aggregated data on seizures and from poisonings. This presentation will provide an update from the EWS on NPS, highlight emerging threats in Europe, and reflect on the role of early warning systems in monitoring, strengthening preparedness and responding to NPS. [1] https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX%3A52022PC0018; [2] https://www.consilium.europa.eu/en/press/press-releases/2023/03/28/eu-drugs-agency-council-presidency-and-european-parliament-agree-to-strengthen-the-agency-s-role/; [3] https://www.emcdda.europa.eu/publications/rapid-communication/update-eu-early-warning-system-2022_en.