The European Union Drugs Agency (EUDA) signed a Working Arrangement with Montenegro today in the margins of the EU-Western Balkans Ministerial Forum on Justice and Home Affairs taking place in Budva, Montenegro.

The Working Arrangement was signed in Podgorica, in the presence of the European Commissioner for Home Affairs, Ylva Johansson. The signatories for Montenegro were the Minister of the Interior, Danilo Šaranović and Deputy Prime Minister for Foreign and European Affairs, Filip Ivanović, on behalf of the Ministry of Health. EUDA Executive Director Alexis Goosdeel signed on behalf of the agency.

The new agreement provides for the exchange of expertise between the entities concerned, thus contributing to the development of drug data-collection and reporting capacity in the region. It facilitates the sharing of strategic information on drug-related health and security threats and of experiences on health and social responses to drug problems. It also allows for the transfer of knowhow and data on new psychoactive substances, through the Montenegrin national early-warning system.

The Working Arrangement originates in a request from the Minister of Health and the Minister of the Interior of Montenegro (November 2023). After receiving a favourable opinion of the European Commission (September 2024), the EUDA Management Board mandated the Executive Director to sign the agreement. This Working Arrangement is the fourth to be signed between the EUDA and a Western Balkan partner (Albania in 2019, Kosovo* and Serbia in 2020).

The EUDA began its cooperation with Montenegro in 2007 in the framework of EU-funded technical assistance projects, designed to prepare Western Balkan partners for accession to the EU (and for participation in the work of the EUDA and its Reitox network).

Montenegro is one of the six partners currently receiving assistance under the EUDA IPA8 project, running from January 2023 to December 2026. Montenegro has recently updated its National Drug Situation Overview (2023), which is available on the EUDA website in English and Montenegrin.

Montenegro's cooperation with the EUDA operates through its National Drug Observatory (NDO), located within the Ministry of Health. Following a recent on-site assessment by EUDA experts in June 2024, it was revealed that recent progress has been made on the three core functions carried out by an NDO: (1) data collection; (2) monitoring, analysis and interpretation of the data collected; and (3) reporting and dissemination.

Today's agreement paves the way for greater cooperation on monitoring and reporting on the drug phenomenon in the EU and beyond and strengthening preparedness on drugs.

Statements:

European Commissioner for Home Affairs, Ylva Johansson: 'I am very happy that today Montenegro is signing a Working Arrangement with the European Union Drugs Agency (EUDA). Improving data exchange with the EU Drugs Agency will boost our operational cooperation in the fight against drugs and drugs trafficking, which are a threat to health and security both in the EU and Montenegro. This agreement is an important step forward in the EU’s cooperation with Montenegro and will bring Montenegro closer to the EU.'

Minister of the Interior of Montenegro, Danilo Šaranović: 'By establishing cooperation with the European Union Drugs Agency we will further develop the capacities of our structures for collecting, processing, and analysing data and information in accordance with scientifically grounded indicators and standards, which are the only valid ones for comprehensive monitoring in the field of drugs. The ultimate goal is to achieve a multidisciplinary understanding of the issue of drug abuse in Montenegro, based on which future drug abuse prevention policies will be directed and planned.'

For the Ministry of Health of Montenegro, Filip Ivanović, Deputy Prime Minister for Foreign and European Affairs: 'This document is of exceptional importance as it serves as a foundation for strengthening cooperation between Montenegro and the European Union in the fight against the use and abuse of drugs. Establishing a Working Arrangement with the European Union Drugs Agency (EUDA) allows Montenegro access to the latest data, expertise, and best practices, which is crucial for improving national policies in the areas of prevention, addiction treatment, and risk reduction. Additionally, strengthening the National Drugs Observatory contributes to better monitoring of the situation in the country, while the exchange of strategic information enhances the security and health protection of citizens, especially in the context of European integration and harmonisation of legislation with EU standards.'

EUDA Executive Director, Alexis Goosdeel: 'Today marks a historic milestone in the longstanding partnership between the EUDA and Montenegro, which began over 15 years ago. Working Arrangements, such as the one signed today, are an important preparatory step for EU candidate countries on the path to full EU membership. They allow for the exchange of strategic information and expertise, a key benefit when addressing drug-related health and security threats. I am confident that this agreement, along with activities under our current IPA8 project, will provide a strong foundation for enhanced cooperation between the EUDA and the Montenegrin National Drug Observatory and its network of national experts and data-providing institutions'.

Notes

The Ministry of Health of Montenegro is the competent coordinating authority at national level in the field of drugs and represents the national focal point for data and information. The Ministry of the Interior of Montenegro is the competent authority for prevention and the investigation of criminal acts of organised drug smuggling and drug abuse.

* This designation is without prejudice to positions on status, and is in line with UNSCR 1244/1999 and the ICJ Opinion on the Kosovo declaration of independence.