European Parliament

European Parliament–EMCDDA cooperation

The EMCDDA has close working relationships with the European Parliament through its Committees, and mainly through the Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs (LIBE) for content-related aspects, as well as the Committees on Budgets (COBU) and Budgetary Control (CONT) for budgetary matters.

LIBE Committee

Each year the EMCDDA presents its European Drug Report to the members of the LIBE Committee around its launch to the international press (usually at the end of May/beginning of June). Also on an annual basis, the Director submits to the European Parliament (LIBE Committee) the centre’s General report of activities.

The European Parliament has the prerogative to ask for a hearing with the Director and the Chairman of the Management Board on any subject related to the Centre’s activities. In addition, the recast regulation foresees that before appointment to a first term, the candidate selected by the Management Board for the post of Director shall be invited without delay to make a statement before the European Parliament (LIBE Committee) and answer questions put by members of this institution.

COBU/CONT Committees

The Committee on Budgets (COBU) of the European Parliament is responsible for the budget of the decentralised bodies.

On the basis of the agency’s final accounts, the report by the Court of Auditors on these final accounts and a Council recommendation, and having regard to the report of its Committee on Budgetary Control (CONT) and the opinion of its Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs (LIBE), the European Parliament decides each year (before 30 April of year N+2) on the discharge to the Agency’s Director in respect of the implementation of the budget (for year N). The European Parliament thus authorises the closure of the annual accounts of the respective year. A meeting is organised by the COBU and CONT Committees each year with the Troika of Agencies and the rapporteur for the discharge procedure.

Representatives on the EMCDDA Management Board

The European Parliament designates two independent experts particularly knowledgeable in the field of drugs to be members of the EMCDDA Management Board with voting rights.