Launch of the new European Union Agency on Drugs

The official launch ceremony of the European Union Agency for Drugs and Drug Addiction (EUDA) will take place on 3 July at 10am Lisbon time.

This new European body, which will officially replace the European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction (EMCDDA), which has been operating in Lisbon since 1995, will have stronger powers to tackle current and future drug-related problems. With its broader mandate, the new agency will contribute to the EU's drug preparedness by helping member states anticipate and respond effectively to the impact of threats.

This development is the result of new legislation applicable from 2 July, which revises the EMCDDA's mandate and name, formally creating the EUDA.

The event, which will take place in Lisbon and will be broadcast live (livestreaming), will be attended by the European Commissioner for Home Affairs, Ylva Johansson, the chairman of the EUDA Board of Directors, Franz Pietsch, the executive director of the EUDA, Alexis Goosdeel, and representatives of the government of the Portuguese Republic.

The president of the Board of Directors of ICAD, I.P. and National Coordinator for Addictive Behaviours and Dependencies, João Goulão, will be the Portuguese member of the EUDA Board of Directors. The coordinator of ICAD, I.P.'s International Relations and Cooperation Office, Ana Sofia Santos, will be the alternate member.

Find out more about the new European Union Agency for Drugs athttps://www.emcdda.europa.eu/about/euda-2024_pt