Top officials gather in Lisbon to launch new European Union Drugs Agency

High-ranking officials are gathering in Lisbon today for the inauguration of the new European Union Drugs Agency (EUDA). The new agency replaces the European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction (EMCDDA), which has been operating in Lisbon since 1995. New legislation which entered into application this week revises the EMCDDA mandate and name, and formally establishes the EUDA (1). The transformation marks a pivotal step in strengthening the EU’s capacity to address the health and security challenges posed by illicit drugs.  Following an external evaluation of the EMCDDA, the…