Drugs and Decision-Making in the European Union

Drugs are a perennial topic within the institutions of the European Union the Commission Council and Parliament. The drug problem is also regularlytabled on th... » 

Drugs are a perennial topic within the institutions of the European Union the Commission Council and Parliament. The drug problem is also regularlytabled on the agenda of the European Council the biannual summit of thegovernment leaders of the fifteen member states. The E.U. systematically bringsdrugrelated issues into virtually all of its political dialogues with ThirdWorld countries and regional organizations. It even stresses the importance ofantidrug measures as part of trade agreements and development cooperation. Bysuch means the European Union has become an important player in the world ofinternational drug control.This book gives an overview of the European Unions antidrug measures andfocuses on its decisionmaking process. It looks at why drugs have acquired aprominent position on the European political agenda and identifies thepolitical function they serve in terms of domestic drug policy andinternational relations. This study shows that instead of solving the drugproblem the European Unions bureaucracy actually helps to keep it alive andwell. «