The fight against drugs involves a wide range of activities, chief among them the fight against addiction and illicit trafficking. The specific legal basis for European Union action depends on the type of measure undertaken.

Preventing drug addiction comes under Article 152 of the EC Treaty (public health - former Article 129). Measures taken by the Community on this basis include a new action programme for 2003-08.

Responsibility for combating illicit drug trafficking rests with the Europol Drugs Unit, which has set up an intelligence unit to improve police and customs cooperation between the Member States. On 1 October 1998 the Unit became part of the European Police Office (Europol).

The Treaty of Amsterdam clearly identifies the fight against illicit drug trafficking as one of the objectives of the new Title VI of the EU Treaty (police and judicial cooperation in criminal matters). In 1999 the Commission presented a Communication on a European Union action plan to combat drugs (2000-04). This plan makes the fight against drugs one of the Union's internal and external priorities, and recommends exchanging reliable data and stepping up international cooperation. In December 1999 the Helsinki European Council adopted the Union's drugs strategy (2000-04), based on the Commission Communication. In June 2000 the Feira European Council adopted the Union's action plan on drugs for 2000-04, which translates the strategy into approximately 100 specific measures to be taken by the Member States, the Commission, the European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction and Europol.

See:

•Area of freedom, security and justice
•European Union Agencies
•Europol (European Police Office) 
•Justice and home affairs (JHA)
•Police and judicial cooperation in criminal matters

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