Why and What?
The Civil Society Forum on Drugs (CSFD) is an expert group of the European Commission that was created in 2007 on the basis of the Commission Green Paper on the role of civil society in drug policy in the EU. Its purpose is to provide a broad platform for a structured dialogue between the Commission and the European civil society which supports drug policy formulation and implementation through practical advice. The CSFD is consistent with the EU Drugs Strategy 2021-2025 and the new Action Plan on Drugs 2021-2025 both of which require the active and meaningful participation and involvement of civil society organisations (CSOs) in the development and implementation of drug policies, at national, EU and international level.
With whom?
CSFD membership comprises 45 CSOs from across Europe and representing a variety of fields of drug policy, and a variety of stances within those fields. Membership is renewed every three years.
How?
The CSFD is governed by a core group, comprising the four Chairs of the working groups, along with a Chair and Vice-Chair of the forum itself, again elected by the members of the forum at the plenary.
The CSFD operates via four working groups:
- EU Strategy and Action plan on Drugs: A survey of the EU action plan from the perspective of civil society; a report; a resources section.
- Relations with International Institutions: policy papers and advocacy notes targeted at (primarily) EU actors; policy meetings.
- Civil Society Engagement with National Drug Policies: e.g. A survey and report on CSO engagement; Development of a database of CSOs involved in drug policy; Members have participated in the Pompidou Group and contributed to its paper on CSI
- Minimum Quality Standards in Drug Policy: an assessment tool which can be used by stakeholders to assess the extent to which the council conclusions are being implemented in their locality, and the production of a report based on the application of the assessment too.
| EATG contact person(s): | Marios Atzemis (member representing EATG) Ann Isabelle von Lingen – annisabelle.vonlingen@eatg.org |
| Duration of the project/initiative: | 2021 – 2024 |
| Project/Initiative Leader: | The CSFD is governed by a core group of 4 CSFD members |
| Project/initiative Main Partner(s): | Asociación Bienestar y Desarrollo (ABD), AFEW International, AIDES, Ana Liffey Drug Project (ALDP), Agência Piaget para o Desenvolvimento (APDES), Asociation Proyecto Hombre, ARAS – Asociatia Romana Anti-SIDA, CityWide, Correlation – European Harm Reduction Network, Dianova, Diogenis Drug Policy Dialogue, Energy Control, Euro-TC, European AIDS Treatment Group (EATG), European Association for Palliative Care, European Cities Against Drugs (ECAD), European Forum for Urban Security (EFUS), European Society for Prevention Research (EUSPR), Federacion ENLACE, FAD, Federation Addiction, Fedito BXL, Forum Droghe, Fundacion Atenea, GAT – Grupo de Ativistas em Tratamentos, Harm Reduction International, International Drug Policy Consortium (IDPC), International Network of People Who Use Drugs (INPUD), IREFREA – European Institute of Studies on Prevention, Medicos Del Mundo, Parsec Consortium, Polska Siec Polityki Narkotykowej, PREKURSOR Foundation for Social Policy, Proslavi Oporavak, Romanian Harm Reduction Network, Rights Reporter Foundation, San Patrignano, Sananim, Scottish Drug Forum (SDF), La Red de Atencion a Las Adicciones (UNAD), UTRIP, World Federation Against Drugs (WFAD), Women’s Organization’s Cooperation Council on Alcohol and Drug Addiction (WOCAD), Youth Organisations for Drug Action (YODA), Magyar Addiktológiai Társaság, ARAS – Asociatia Romana Anti-SIDA |
| Links: | http://www.civilsocietyforumondrugs.eu/ |
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