The European Union Drugs Agency (EUDA) has launched an ambitious International Cooperation Framework aimed at strengthening global responses to drug-related challenges, marking a significant shift in how Europe approaches transnational substance issues.

Adopted by the EUDA Management Board in June 2025 and unveiled this week, the framework establishes the agency’s vision and priorities for enhancing international collaboration. This development follows the EUDA’s expanded mandate when it replaced the European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction (EMCDDA) in July 2024, positioning it as a stronger force in monitoring and analysing the external dimensions of drug problems.

Addressing Transnational Drug Threats

The new framework acknowledges that drugs represent a global phenomenon affecting communities worldwide, posing interconnected challenges to public health and security. EU drug policy cooperation has become increasingly vital as illegal drug flows grow more complex, with substances and chemical precursors manufactured and transported across regions by transnational criminal organisations.

Recent conflicts and ongoing wars have further complicated the landscape, creating repercussions for drug use and trafficking patterns, particularly in countries neighbouring the European Union. The framework responds directly to these evolving realities, building upon the EMCDDA’s established history of international cooperation.

Partnership-Based Strategy

At the heart of the framework lies a commitment to reciprocal partnerships. Working alongside the European Commission, the EUDA will engage with diverse stakeholders including partner countries across EU enlargement and neighbourhood regions, as well as nations in Latin America, the Caribbean, Central Asia and North America.

The agency will also collaborate with EU institutions, bodies and agencies, international organisations, development agencies, and civil society and scientific communities beyond EU borders. This EU drug policy cooperation will manifest through various mechanisms, including working arrangements, technical cooperation projects, expert meetings and collaboration with international research networks.

Four Strategic Pillars

The International Cooperation Framework outlines four strategic objectives designed to strengthen global responses. First, the EUDA will monitor global drug developments that may pose threats to or have implications for the European Union, enhancing the bloc’s preparedness.

Second, the agency will cooperate closely with EU and international partners on external drug threats affecting health, security and social resilience within Europe. Third, it will support mutual exchange and dissemination of best practices and implementable research findings at international level.

Finally, the framework prioritises developing technical cooperation with international partners whilst promoting the incorporation of EU-relevant data into international monitoring and drug programmes. This comprehensive approach ensures that EU drug policy cooperation extends beyond borders to create meaningful impact.

Building on COPOLAD III Success

The framework’s launch comes as the EUDA reflects on successful collaboration with Latin America and Caribbean countries through the COPOLAD III programme, which concluded in March 2025 after nearly three years of intensive cooperation.

The programme achieved significant milestones in strengthening National Drug Observatories and Early Warning Systems across the region. Countries enhanced their capacity in innovative monitoring methods, including wastewater analysis and web surveys, enabling more timely and accurate information gathering on drug trends.

A notable achievement was Jamaica’s launch of its first national Early Warning System, supported by COPOLAD. Key EUDA publications were translated into Spanish to facilitate regional developments, whilst experts from Latin America and the Caribbean joined European counterparts in annual meetings to ensure data collection methods become more comparable across regions.

Prevention and Health Response Advances

COPOLAD III made substantial progress in demand reduction, focusing on prevention and health responses. Furthermore, the European Prevention Curriculum was adapted for the Latin American and Caribbean context and delivered in three languages, training over 230 professionals and establishing a virtual community of practice for ongoing expertise exchange.

In Brazil, the programme launched Evidência Viva, an online platform providing practitioners with access to evidence-based prevention interventions in Spanish and Portuguese. Miniguides addressing topics such as women and drugs and cannabis were adapted for regional needs, whilst webinars facilitated dialogue on challenges faced in prisons and by women.

The programme also opened doors for regional professionals to engage with international peers, offering bursaries for training opportunities and conferences in Europe, including the European Drugs Winter and Summer Schools.

Tackling Supply Side Challenges

On the supply reduction front, COPOLAD III addressed pressing drug market challenges through a series of targeted interventions. Notably, an expert meeting on the chemical concealment of cocaine resulted in a technical report, which is now available in multiple languages. In addition, training delivered by the EUDA and the European Union Agency for Law Enforcement Training further strengthened the use of strategic analysis in decision-making.

Moreover, a comprehensive mapping exercise involving 19 countries provided crucial insights into regional forensic capacity, thereby informing future EU drug policy cooperation initiatives..

Implementation Principles

The new framework will be guided by principles of added value, sustainability, feasibility, co-production, synergies and service orientation, aligned with the EU Drugs Strategy 2021-2025 and broader European policies.

Priority areas include enhancing EU preparedness on drugs and contributions to international monitoring, strengthening national drug observatories and early warning systems, addressing drug production and trafficking of precursors and new psychoactive substances, and advancing innovation in treatment, reintegration and harm reduction.

Knowledge Exchange and Best Practice

Sharing evidence and disseminating best practices internationally not only fosters innovation but also reinforces responses to cross-border health and security threats. To build on this, the EUDA will strengthen knowledge exchange with third countries regarding drug market evolution and the implications of international drug-related developments for public health and security within the EU.

Furthermore, the agency will produce geostrategic analyses, promote evidence-based and human rights-focused drug policies in third countries, and support the European Union and its member states in ongoing international dialogues.

Political Dialogue Maintained

Throughout COPOLAD III, political dialogue between the EU and Latin America and Caribbean regions remained central. The programme ensured drugs stayed prominent on the bi-regional agenda through strong representation at EU-CELAC meetings, annual gatherings and steering committee sessions.

A final project video brings together highlights and testimonials from both regions, celebrating achievements and sharing voices of those involved in this successful EU drug policy cooperation initiative.

Looking Forward

As the EUDA assumes its enhanced international role, the agency aims to reinforce its position as the EU’s lead body on drugs and a robust international partner. Through the International Cooperation Framework, it seeks to improve evidence, build capacity and promote cooperation to support more effective and sustainable responses worldwide.

The stronger bonds established between Europe, Latin America and the Caribbean through COPOLAD III demonstrate what becomes possible when regions work together with shared commitment. These achievements serve not only as milestones but as stepping stones towards further cooperation in addressing complex challenges posed by the global drug phenomenon.

By improving monitoring systems, strengthening prevention programmes, and maintaining robust political dialogue, the framework positions Europe at the forefront of international efforts to address drug-related challenges through evidence-based, collaborative approaches that prioritise public health and security across borders.

Source: EUDA – COPOLAD III journey , EUDA’s new vision for international cooperation