NATIONAL STRATEGY ON DRUGS 2003 -2004

Chapter 1 - GENERAL PRESENTATION
Chapter 2 - INTRODUCTION
Chapter 3 - GOVERNING PRINCIPLES, STRATEGIC VIEW, GOAL AND OBJECTIVES
                   OF THE STRATEGY
Chapter 4 - SPECIFIC INTERVENTION AREAS
Chapter 5 - INSTITUTIONAL FRAMEWORK
Chapter 6 - INFORMATIONAL SYSTEMS
Chapter 7 - FINANCING
Chapter 8 - EVALUATION

CHAPTER 4
SPECIFIC INTERVENTION AREAS

4.I.- Drug Demand Reduction
4.I.A.- Preventing drug use
I. Introduction and analysis of the situation
This document represents the action plan at the governmental level, in the field of fight against drug use and addiction, and it is based on an integrating analysis of the phenomenon during the period 1990-2002 (based on studies made by both governmental and non-governmental institutions and also on national and international studies as well on statistics and practices in this field of action).

1. Characteristics of drug use and addiction in Romania:
a) The spreading of the phenomenon all over the country, in the same time with the extension of drug trafficking networks at the national and international level;
b) The use on a larger scale of psychotropic medicines and of barbiturates without medical prescription, often used in combination with alcohol;
c) The increase of the number users and owners of drugs, such as heroine, cannabis,
Opium, cocaine etc., and the growing number of cases when drugs are injected, even from the very first use;
d) The increasing number of alcohol and tobacco users, in the 15-24 years of age range, and especially among women;
e) The growing number of pupils that use amphetamine;
f) The setting of new drug users groups and also of the distribution groups based on age or micro-geographical criteria;
g) The increasing of indigenous alcohol and tobacco production, as well the growing number of advertising campaigns for imported tobacco and alcohol;
h) The spreading of drug use in clubs, discotheques, entertainment areas, abandoned houses, university campuses, etc.

2. Key factors of drug use and addiction:
a) The lack of information and education in the drugs field;
b) The society's acceptance of tobacco and alcohol;
c) The diminishing of children's surveillance by parents, as well the parents' lack of responsibility and involvement of some of them;
d) The companions' pressure felt by youths;
e) The accessibility of the first doses and the curiosity of testing drugs, which lead to further use that represents addiction and not only experimenting;
f) The expanding of national and international drug trafficking networks;
g) The improvement of the economic status of certain social groups;
h) The precarious economic situation of some users, which determines the affiliation to trafficking networks, in order to get money to buy drugs;
i) The migration of children towards big cities, which results in the "street children" associated with the use of inhalant substances;
j) The existence of some unsolved crisis situations among teenagers;
k) The little experience authorities and civil society in fighting against this new phenomenon, which led to incoherent reactions and partial results;
l) The fact that pupils miss classes becoming integrated in risky groups.5

3. Programs for preventing drug use and addiction

In view of achieving the drug use prevention within the National Program for preventing and fighting against drug use, the Inter-ministerial Commission for the Prevention of Illegal Drugs Use (C.I.P.C.I.D.), came into being by a Common Order, and being formed of representatives of the Ministry of Interior, Ministry of Health and Family, Ministry of Public Administration, Ministry of Education and Research, Ministry of Youth and Sports. The Commission's activity was also open to civil society, by the participation of the most significant NGOs to activities related to preventing drug use and addiction.
In order to co-ordinate the activities carried out at the local level, a national network has been created; it consists of 47 Anti-Drug Prevention and Counselling Centers, at the level of each county and also of each sector in Bucharest.
With the Romanian Government financial support, CIPCID has implemented the project
"Drug use: where to?", project which has being accomplished jointly with the Center for Legal Resources and UNICEF Romania and it consisted on informative and educational activities regarding the fight against illegal drug use among the youths and the promotion of a healthy life style that would explicitly reject drugs. The activities carried out by this project provided the initial training of the staff working in the local centre, and it offered anti-drug counselling for some future programs on drug use prevention.
At the same time, under the slogan "IT'S ONLY UP TO YOU", the project carried out the
largest campaign with a social profile at the national level - it consisted of advertising on TV and radio, broadcasted on local and national stations, and of activities for the youths (concerts, exhibitions, seminars, contests etc.).
All these activities have been carried out in partnerships with several ministries (Ministry of Interior, Ministry of Health and Family, Ministry of Public Administration, Ministry of Education and Research, Ministry of Youth and Sports) and other national and international institutions.
In the framework of preventing drug use and addiction, the Ministry of Health and Family and the Ministry of Education and Research - in partnership with NGOs - have elaborated the contents of the program for health education to be used in schools starting the next year. It seeks to involve teachers and pupils in the process of acknowledging the drug use phenomenon and of developing communication, interaction and health behaviour skills among the pupils, from elementary school to high school.
The activities carried out by the Commission come as a continuation of previous programs implemented by the ministries that are members of the commission, in collaboration with NGOs (educational programs in schools, informative materials, specialized training sessions, studies, media campaigns, seminars, etc.).
In the case of the above-mentioned programs, the lack of appropriate evaluation and studies covering the entire population render the monitoring of changes in behaviour and attitude towards drug use and addiction very difficult.

4. Opportunities for diminishing drug use and addiction:
a) The existence of political will to elaborate a strategy of preventing drug use and addiction;
b) The developing of an appropriate legal framework regarding the prevention and the fight against drug use and addiction;
c) The involvement of some NGOs in drug use prevention activities;
d) The training of specialists in the fields of education, police, health and youth etc.
e) The allocation of funds from the public health budget - through National Programs - and also the existence of external funding for the prevention of drug use;
f) The potential funding from international financial institutions;
g) The existence of statistic data regarding drug use and the trends of the drug phenomenon;
h) Appropriate working methods and techniques;
i) Changing, at the community level, the public opinion regarding the drug use and addiction;
j) The approval of valuable projects with appropriate audit and control.16

5. Difficulties met in diminishing drug use and addiction:
a) Limited financial resources, inappropriate management,
b) The absence of performance indicators and of a data monitoring and centralizing system,
c) Insufficiently structured partnerships between governmental and nongovernmental organizations in carrying out programs of preventing drug use and addiction,
d) The lack of coherence in the Romanian society's acknowledgement regarding the drug use and addiction,
e) The limited capacity of Romanian institutions and authorities empowered to intervene and reduce criminality,
f) The lack of trained specialists to be able to act from an interdisciplinary perspective.

II. General and Specific Objectives

A. General Objectives:
1. Reducing drug use and addiction among the general population
2. Diminishing the number of children and youngsters that start to use drugs
3. Diminishing drug use and addiction among persons at risk
4. Reducing the risks related to drug use and addiction
5. Monitoring, analyzing and diagnosing the drug use
6. Legislative and institutional harmonization with EU regulations

B. Specific Objectives:
a. Reducing risk factors
b. Diversifying the means of drug use prevention
c. Promoting education for health among the population
d. Diminishing the drug availability
e. Rising the population awareness about the risks and damages related to drug use
f. Involving civil society
g. Developing co-ordination structures at local and national level (National Anti-Drug Agency)
h. Improving the quality of preventing programs
i. Providing specific training for the specialists
j. Creating and promoting alternatives for leisure time
k. Changing the public opinion and creating favourable attitudes for the prevention of drug use and abuse
l. Strengthening and developing in all counties the network of centers for the prevention of drug use and abuse
m. Developing the specific training courses on drug abuse prevention in the university curricula
n. Creating the opportunities for an active involvement of the private sector in providing prevention and treatment for drug use and abuse
o. Developing periodical evaluation of the preventing programs regarding the drug use and addiction
p. Developing and diversifying the co-operation between the national and international agencies having similar responsibilities in drug abuse prevention
q. Developing the criminological studies based on the data regarding the drug users and dealers

4.I.B. Medical and psychological assistance, rehabilitation and social reintegration

I. Introduction
The drug use and its consequences represent one of the major issues the contemporary European society has to cope with and also a major issue in the big cities. Drug addiction is a large-scale phenomenon, given its multifunctional, changeable and dynamic characteristics, affecting all the age groups, but especially the 18 - 35 group of age. Also, it represents a major public health issue, given its crucial consequences on the individual (delinquency, social, death by overdose or suicide, infectious diseases spread - AIDS, HIV, TB), familiar, social and work-related levels. Other drug categories, like heroin, cannabis, cocaine, etc, added in recent years to the traditional drugs, like alcohol, and tobacco.
This complex phenomenon should be addressed in a global and integrated manner, because of the above-mentioned causes, considering the levels:
- Drug Demand Reduction;
- Dr- Drug Supply Reduction;
- International Co-operation.
Moreover, in order to avoid possible conflict situations between the involved structures, a series of permanent mechanisms, aimed at coordinating the activities of these structures, is necessary.
The reduction of the drug demand and of the drug supply, the prevention and the social insertion/reinsertion make up an integrated process. In terms of practical effects, these chapters are focused in the last two formulations.

Drug addiction as a "chronic disease"
The processes the drug addiction is based on are considered like aspects of chronic diseases, taking in them course relapses and recurrences or spontaneous recoveries or consequently after the treatment.
The determinant factors that trigger and maintain these processes require the interaction between the genetic predisposition and a series of psychological and socio-cultural factors.

Drug addiction treatment
According to the WHO (1998), the treatment of drug addicted is a process that starts when a psychoactive substances user comes firstly in contact with a healthcare facility or a communitarian service. This process should keep on by alternating some specific interventions for the patient welfare and good condition.
In most cases the therapeutic approach of an addicted needs, partially and simultaneously, the co-ordination of different means of assistance. Thus, it should be said that the very each element of the system is a necessary but not sufficient factor of a complex therapeutic process that requires jointly efforts for sustaining the drug addicted.
The treatment, that includes diagnosis, medical assistance and social reinsertion of the drug addicted persons, has as main goal the improving wellness and the quality of their life, by reducing drug addiction and drug related morbidity and mortality caused by the use of these substances and also through maximum exploitation of individual capabilities, facilitating the access to provided services and complete social reintegration.

II. General and Specific Objectives

A. General objectives:

• Ensure adequate medical assistance for the drug addicts, as part of the public health services system, including for those being in penitentiaries.
• Establish a health network compliant with the present needs.
• Help the social reintegration of the drug addicts.
• Develop and strengthen the data systems.
• Support the introduction of risk-reducing strategies.
• Make Romanian legislation compliant with the EU standards.25

B. Specific objectives:
1. Guarantee the universal, public, free, professional and specialized characteristics of the medical and psychosocial assistance for the drug addicts.
2. Set up a widespread, diversified and professional network offering adequate assistance and embedding all the specific therapeutic structures, and establish their competences.
3. Coordinate and cooperate with other medical centers/services handling the treatment of the associated disorders.
4. Define the therapeutic circuit of the medical assistance system and the social reintegration system of the drug addicts.
5. Encourage and support the social and work reintegration
6. Develop and consolidate the data systems.
7. Stimulate the drug addicts' access to the programs for the reduction of the drug use negative consequences.
8. Objectives to be followed: reducing the incidence of infectious diseases, reducing the use of illegal products, raising the quality of life.
9. Asserting the ambulatory treatment programs for methadone addicts as a national priority in the action plan.
10. Include the ambulatory therapy for drug addicts in the detention centers: provide free and universal medical assistance.
11. Professional training and research

4. II. - Drug Supply Reduction

1. General considerations
Romanian authorities have been concerned regarding the assuring a strict regime of narcotic substances, issuing for this purpose a coercive measures of a penal and administrative nature for those who violate the law.
The restrictive policy regarding the free circulation of persons applied before 1989 allowed a very strict control of the borders, which determined drug dealers and traffickers to avoid the Romanian territory. That is why drug trafficking at that time appeared only as a sporadic and inconsistent phenomenon.
The transition towards a democratic society, the complete opening of the state frontiers, the transition towards a market economy, as well as the geographic position represented important factors in including Romania in "the Balkan Route" of trafficking drugs from the producing countries to the consuming countries.
Romania tends to become a real swivel plate and to remain a prevalent and almost compulsory transit area for drug dealers. Thus, the traffic routes start from Afghanistan, go through Istanbul, Sofia, Bucharest or Belgrade and leave the Balkan Region heading towards Hungary, Slovakia, the Czech Republic, Germany and Holland.
The evolution of drug trafficking and also drug use, as well as the extent of the drug seizures during the past two years, bring us to the conclusion that Romania is about to become a new "market" in the context of European countries also known as great drug users, such as Germany, Holland, Spain, Italy, France and Great Britain.
Statistical data illustrate that the above-mentioned phenomenon has taken unprecedented proportions in between 1990-1997: there have been discovered 412 cases of drug trafficking, in which 649 persons have been involved (219 were Romanian citizens), and 20,697.798 kg of drugs has been confiscated. In the period 2001- July 2002 the figures went up to 1,545 drug trafficking cases, 1,978 persons involved (of which 1798 were Romanians) and 64,485.485 kg of drugs seizured.
At the same time, the number of Romanian citizens arrested for being involved in drug trafficking in several countries worldwide has increased significantly.
In addition to the above-mentioned, the commercialization of drugs on the Romanian territory has reached increasing values.
Thus, the drug use expanded all over the country, especially in Bucharest and the other major cities, affecting various segments of society, so that the used drugs diversified - injected heroine, opium, cocaine, amphetamine, cannabis. The use of medicines that in combination with alcoholic drinks have hallucinogen effects has also increased.
A relevant indicator of the functioning of the drug market in Romania is the registration of the first cases of drug related deaths caused by the overdoses. Drugs use is one of the serious social problems that Romanian society faces with. In the case of many persons, especially young ones, this leads to addiction, becomes a source of suffering, diseases, poverty, social isolation, unemployment etc. This affects not only the social behavior of the addicted persons, but also the life of the families or communities to which they belong.
Drug use induces a continuous amplification of the request on the drug market and it amplifies a proportionally direct increase of the supply of these substances. In front of this scourge with multiple social implications, some preventing actions based on a strategy of reducing the drugs supply are necessary.29

2. Defining the Romanian concept of keeping drug use under control and defining the legal framework applicable in this domain

A. Definition:Taking into account the evolving tendencies of this phenomenon, at both national and international level, the Romanian concept of keeping drug use under control is mainly focused on the following aspects:
- adhering at international conventions in this respect and aligning the legislation to these conventions' provisions, as well as harmonizing them with the valid regulation at the EU level;
- sanctioning accordingly illegal any act or fact regarding operations with drugs;
- applying different punishments, according to the nature and quantity of drugs, and to the organized character of the facts;
- exemption from penal charges, before penal formalities start, for the persons who denounce to the competent authorities the participation to an association or an agreement involving drug trafficking, allowing thus the acceleration of the identification process of the other persons involved and the pressing of penal charges of the other participants.
- reducing the punishment by the half for the person who denounces and facilitates the identification and prosecution of other persons that have been involved in illegal actions related to drugs;
- considering the drug users are victims of this phenomenon and allowing them to benefit from treatment and social reintegration measures;
- giving the appropriate authorities in the domain the possibility to use specific modern methods, such as controlled deliveries or undercover investigators and their collaborators in order to discover criminal facts, identify the authors and produce proofs in the situations in which there is strong evidence that crimes involving drug trafficking are committed;
- co-operating at the national and international level with the institutions accredited to fight illegal drug trafficking;
- strengthening border security and improving the systems of monitoring the means of transportation, the cargo, the goods and persons known as being involved in drug trafficking;
- controlling the precursors used for obtaining illegal drugs;
- issuing legal provisions regarding the regime of cultivating plants used for the extraction of narcotic substances;
- seizure, arresting and extraditing the persons pursued at the international level for crimes that have as object drug trafficking.
- providing the General Inspectorate of Border Police, the General Customs Department and the General Inspectorate of the Romanian Police with appropriate equipment for drug detection and intensifying the drug detecting activities by using specially trained dogs.
- assuring a permanent improvement of the legislative framework that is necessary for an effective fight against drugs trafficking (the draft of the law concerning the witness protection and prevention and combating organized crime, documents elaborated by the Ministry of Justice and Ministry of Interior and that are now on the Romanian Parliament agenda).

B. The legal framework with incidence in this domain
We might say that Romanian authorities in charge with fighting against drug supply benefit from a modern, coherent and effective legislative system which allows them to approach the drug use and drug trafficking in a systemic, multi-disciplinary, and inter-departmental manner, which is synchronized with international legislation.
On the other hand, most of the incident legislation valid in Romania is already harmonized with the EC regulations regarding the fight against drug production, traffic and use; the EC effectively participates in the harmonization process, which is in its final stage, by sending prestigious specialists to assist in the elaboration process of projects for specific laws.
The main laws with incidence in the analyzed domain are presented in the Chapter no. 5 of this strategy.

3. Internal and international risk factors:
The geographical positioning of Romania at the intersection of the main routes used by drug traffickers;
The continuous increase of the number of drug users and - implicitly - the development of the distribution networks;
Romanian citizens' involvement in drug trafficking activities as couriers, storage agents,
intermediaries or distributors;
The increase of criminality in domains strictly related with illegal drug trafficking and use, including money laundering activities influencing the financial and banking spheres;
The increase of trans-border criminality, by the direct involvement in illegal actions on the Romanian territory of criminal organizations acting in several countries;
Diversifying the means of committing crimes, especially the use and purchase of fire weapons by hiring professional criminals;
The existence of possibilities to produce natural and synthetic drugs in our country, as well as the illegal cultivation of plants from which drugs can be extracted;
The implication in corruption activities of public clerks having direct responsibilities in the control activity;
The opening in Romania of phantom-companies by citizens of some drug producing or destination countries, which cover illegal drug trafficking activities;
The intensification of the migration phenomenon of citizens from African and Asian countries, which are well-known as drug-producing countries;
The danger posed by the terrorist networks involved in the drug trafficking, in order to obtain funds from these illegal activities.

4. General and Specific Objectives

A. General objectives
Diminishing the drug supply by 30% in the next two years;
Diminishing the drug supply through permanent control of the drug supply;
Controlling the illegal production and trafficking by means of co-operation between the state authorities having responsibilities in this field, as well as by means of co-operation at the international level;
Legal and institutional compliance with Romania's commitment to the process of EU integration;
Participating to international programs in the field;
Diagnosing and monitoring the drug offer.

B. Specific objectives
a. Reducing risk factors;
b. Counter-balancing international drug trafficking by criminal organizations specialized in drug production, transport and selling, and with structures in two or more countries;
c. Intensifying the control activities at the border crossing points;
d. Preventing and fighting drug distribution by final consumers - micro traffic;
e. Strengthening institutional co-operation at the national and international levels;
f. Diminishing the number of drug-related crimes;
g. Significantly reducing money-laundering techniques;
h. Diminishing drug accessibility and availability;
i. Involving civil society in the fight against drugs;
j. Developing and improving the co-ordination structures at the national and international levels;
k. Training of the specialists in the field;
l. Changing of the public opinion and forming an attitude that would lead to the operational notification of authorities by citizens, regarding persons involved in drug trafficking;
m. Permanent evaluation of the carried out activities;
n. Providing appropriate financial resources for the application of the drug supply reduction strategy.
o. Developing and diversifying the co-operation between the Ministry of Justice and other national and international institutions which have as an objective the fight against drugs trafficking.

5. Directions of action
In order to reach the strategic objectives of drug supply reducing, the following directions of action have been established:
a) Intensifying control at the Romanian state border, by both Border Police and the Customs Service representatives, having as goal preventing and discouraging fraud, by efficient use of the equipment available for the detection and testing of certain substances, by using trained dogs, especially in the case of goods and persons coming from African or Asian countries, which are known as great drug production areas, and also in the case of discovering drugs and precursors in containers, parcels, cargos and transport means or on persons - by using the data provided by the staff specialized in this field;
b) Providing conditions that allow the approach with optimal results of the PHARE Regional Project managed by EUROCUSTOMS, launched in Romania on 15 February 2002 (which starts from the previous achievements, especially from the mutual program UNDCP-PHARE) regarding the strengthening capacities for fight against drugs in the South-Eastern Europe, in view of improving control activities at the border points;
c) Increasing exigency in the Customs authorities activities of controlling persons, vehicles, wares and other goods signaled at the border as potentially illegal drugs or precursors, in view of detailed control and, whenever the case, prohibition to come in or get out of Romania.
d) Organizing the Customs checking out in the areas that are under its competence or supervision, in view of the identification drugs or precursors, as well as verifying the evidence, request for documents and information from other states' customs authorities directly related with the imported, exported or transited goods.
e) Permanent documentation about organized national and international trafficking groups and the methods used for transportation in various countries, routes, identification of storage areas, distributors, and establishing criminal links.
f) Carrying out permanent and sustainable activities of knowing and combating drug micro-traffic in specific areas within major cities; reducing the commercialization in order to diminish the drug use among the youths and to reduce the number of drug related deaths caused by drug addiction.32
g) Preventing and fighting illegal operations involving precursors trafficking, through verification of the destinations, precursors use and the identification of clandestine drug laboratories.
h) Carrying out synchronized actions took jointly with the Ministry of Industry and Resources and the Ministry of Health and Family, in order to identify - in addition to the 24 substances specified in Annex 1 to Law no 300/2002, which are subject to international control - other substances that can be categorized as precursors and that will make the object of "special surveillance" operations, according to the objectives of the Synthetic Drugs and Precursors PHARE Project, coordinated by the Dutch Ministry of Justice (having as target the development of detecting the capacities of synthetic drugs, closely related to precursors trafficking).
i) Carrying out urgent and sustained activities for the implementing the advising and authorizing system for the precursors-related activities, according to the rules stipulated in Law no. 300.2002 and in the Government Decision on the approval of the regulations regarding the application of the above-mentioned law.
j) Increasing the staff with anti-drug competence within the General Directorate of Customs, a permanent training of the professionals, knowing and executing the new methods of prevention and countering the drugs trafficking. According to the financial situation, it will be established the necessary equipment for the laboratories of physical and chemical analysis of the substances that might be drugs, drugs detection in the transportation vehicles and loads.
k) Improving the system for authorizing and approval the cultivating plants from which drugs can be extracted (cannabis, opium poppy), as an essential action of preventing the illegal cultivation of such plants in Romania.
l) Intensifying the collaboration between the Ministry of Finances, the National Bank of Romania and the other financial institutions in view of using specific tools against money laundering derived from criminal acts and especially from organized crime and drug trafficking. Taking the necessary measures for the implementing PHARE Project for Fighting against Money Laundering signed by the European Commission on 31 January 2002, which targets Central and Eastern European countries and which involves all the national institutions working in this field, together with the National Institute for Prevention and Fight against Money Laundering.
l.1. Permanent exchanges of information between the structures within the Ministry of the Interior, the Romanian Intelligence Service, the Ministry of National Defense, the Ministry of Justice, and the other specialized agencies in other countries.
l.2. Improving the legal and institutional framework by adopting efficient legal provisions, by creating new, adequate institutional structures and by improving the existing ones in order to ensure the coordination of the policies regarding the prevention and fight against this phenomenon, along with the assistance and international co-operation policies.
l.3. Attracting internal and international financial resources in view of financial support of the strategic objectives.
m) Developing the information analysis and registration at the Anti Drug Squad level (within the General Police Inspectorate) in order to centralize data, carry out strategic and operational analyses, which will allow the evaluation of the real situation regarding this phenomenon and which will provide the decision-making factors with the necessary elements for the elaboration of a strategy in the domain. Currently there is no appropriate unitary system for collecting information.
n) Urgently finalizing a national reporting system - "The National Unique Register for Investigation and Research in the Drug Trafficking System". This register will include operations already fulfilled and operations in an incipient stage that are to be carried out by the Romanian Police, by the Border Police, by the Customs authorities, and also operations in the medical field - acute intoxications registered in county hospitals, data from the regional medical centers dealing with the co-ordination of drug abuse treatment, aftercare-treatment, rehabilitation and counseling programs. The quality of the data provided by the structures involved in the reduction of drug supply and demand will improve by providing appropriate technical and informational systems complying with international standards.
o) Creating a database on operations involving precursors production, commercialization, storage, import and export.
p) The improve of the central unit staff and of the compartments involved in the fight against drugs and carrying out informational, operational and research activities by continual specialization in gathering information, by acquiring and applying the new methods of drug trafficking prevention, the intervention and seizure techniques, etc.
According to the financial situation, the necessary equipment for the physical and chemical analysis of drugs, drug detection (in cargos or vehicles), supervision and chasing the activities will be purchased.
q) Establishing the Romanian Monitoring Center for Drug and Drug Addiction within the National Anti-drug Agency, connecting to the activities of the European Monitoring Center for Drugs and Drug abuse (EMCDDA), as well as by entering the European network of national focal points - "REITOX".

4. III. - International Cooperation

Introduction and State-of-Art

It is a fact that criminality and international organized crime in particular, can be considered "borderless institutions" whose extent and network can rival the most developed structures of the international bodies. Considering this fact, the institutions active in the field of the fight against drug trafficking and drug use are cooperating with the similar regional, European and international institutions, and especially with those from the member or associated states of the EU, as well as with the appropriate international institutions (the INTERPOL, the EUROPOL, the UN Program for Drug Control, the EU Permanent Committees, etc.)
In what concerns the decrease of the drug offer, the Police and the Customs Office accomplished an important objective of the international cooperation by means of a permanent data exchange with connecting officers from other states' similar services, as well as by initiating several programs of which we mention here the ones related to the fight against drug trafficking:
- The following directions of the PHARE Program: Twining, "Fight Against Drugs", UNDCP - PHARE, Precursors Project, Synthetic Drugs Project - long-term objectives, Central-European Initiative
- South Eastern Cooperation Initiative - SECI - objective: prevention and fight against the cross-border crime phenomenon, especially the organized crime.
- EMCDDA Cooperation Project - supporting the candidate states seeking to join the EU by applying the Acquis Communautaire.
The positive results Romania obtained in the fight against the organised crime are partially due to the multilateral and operative cooperation with other states, and to the experience acquired by cooperating with the international institutions in this field. This proves that we were right when being open and willing to continue and intensify this cooperation.
We are hoping that in the near future, Romania will be a part of the great family of the European democracies and considering the Summit in Prague this autumn we will reinforce our efforts in order to comply with the EU integration standards.

General and Specific Objectives

A. General Objectives
The international character of the drug issue entails an increase both of the national and international cooperation, the international cooperation and collaboration being crucial to a successful approach of this issue.38
Romania will promote the international cooperation in the fight against the drug phenomenon by means of integration in the western structures and by playing an active role in the international dialog related to drugs, considering the following principles:
- The common responsibility of all the states involved in the fight against this plague;
- A multilateral, integrated, balanced and active approach, at conceptual level and at the level of institutions directly and indirectly involved in the prevention and fight against drug use as well as other illegal activities related to it;
- Complying with the international legislation, especially when respecting other states' sovereignty and territorial integrity, as well as fundamental human rights and liberties.
1. The harmonization of the domestic legislation according to the European legislation
2. Establish and strengthen the work relations in the framework of the international networks that develop programs for combating and prevent drug use and addiction
3. Strengthen the co-operation with the European agencies involved in preventing activities, especially with the European Monitoring Center for Drug and Drug Addiction.

B. Specific Objectives
The existing specific objectives are categorized in five directions: coordination, EU relations, relation with other international bodies, bilateral relations and evaluation.
I. Coordination
The co-ordination of international relations in respect of drug issues is accomplished by the National Anti-drug Agency through its specific structure. This Unit will gather the necessary information from the national and international bodies directly and indirectly involved in the fight against drugs. This information will be used to accomplish the international cooperation functions.
This Unit will ensure the data flow between the institutions involved at a national level, and on request at an international level.
- Intensifying the international cooperation in matter of penal assistance, in view of integration into the EUROJUST system, including through the liaison magistrates.

II. The relations with EU organisms: EMCDDA and Europol
Acquis communautaire
Given the irreversible process of joining the European Union, Romania will adopt and implement the acquis communautaire and the best practices in the field. Accordingly, Romania will act in respect with the objectives established by the European Drug Strategy 2000 - 2004 and it will carry out the activities provided in the EU drug related Action Plan 2000 - 2004.
Romania will participate in the EU programs in the framework of strengthening the Community's policies on drugs.
The EMCDDA (European Monitoring Center for Drugs and Drug Addiction)
Romania will take steps regarding the signing of an agreement for the rapid adheretion at the EMCDDA structure and will continue to cooperate with this institution and submit the Annual Report regarding the Romania Situation on Drugs.
The Europol
An international agreement of co-operation stipulating provisions regarding the information exchange and common actions to be taken in the fight against drugs will be signed between Romania and the Europol.39
III. The relations with other international bodies
The United Nations Organization
Romania will play an active role in the efforts made by the UNO and by the UN Drug Control Program (UNDCP), especially in those meant to develop the international cooperation based on the principles stated during the June 1998 UN General Assembly Special Session.
Romania will also be involved in several programs initiated by the UN in this field and will follow the recommendations of the International Narcotics Control Body (INCB).
Romania takes part in the works and programs of other agencies and initiatives in this field (the World Health Organization, the World Customs Organization, OIPC Interpol, the Stability Pact).
The SECI Center
Romania will continue to promote the activity of fight against illegal drug use and trafficking within the Regional Center dealing with the prevention and fight against cross-border criminality in South-Eastern European Countries.
The European Council - The Pompidou Group
Romania wishes to become a full member of this Group and remains open to all the Group's initiatives and programs for technical cooperation.
IV. Bilateral relations
Romania's bilateral relations with its neighbor countries will be strengthened by means of drug-related bilateral cooperation agreements, information and experience exchange.
The process of signing bilateral agreements with the member countries of the EU and the NATO will continue.
Romania will seek to sign bilateral agreements with the countries considered to have a high risk in drug related issues.
Romania will try to sign mutual contracts with the countries directly or indirectly involved in drug related issues, taking into account their evolution.
V. Evaluation
In December 2004 a report will be issued to evaluate the Strategy regarding the international cooperation's accomplishments and results, in order to adopt decisions and regulations that will help develop the coming strategies.