9 June 2026 09:05 UTC · European Commission · EU Commission Press Release · Source · Email X Link

European Commission says EU needs comprehensive drug approach

Key points

Rising cocaine availability and overdose deaths
Comprehensive EU strategy linking health and security

TL;DR

European Commission says the European Drugs Report 2026 shows cocaine availability rising, with 97,000 seizures in 2024 and a >20% decrease in intercepted volume.
European Commission reports at least 7,600 overdose deaths in Europe.
European Commission outlines a comprehensive EU response: new drugs strategy, Action Plan against drug trafficking, controls on drug precursors, strengthened ports security and cooperation with partner countries in Latin America.

Original text

European Commission - Speech [Check Against Delivery] Remarks by Commissioner Brunner on the launch of the 2026 Drug Report Brussels, 9 June 2026 Executive director Lorraine Nolan, Chair of the Management Board Franz Pietsch First of all: welcome to Lorraine in her new role as Executive Director And to all of you: thank you very much for your work! The European Drugs Report 2026 gives us a very good analysis and overview and an evidence base to our approach on how to tackle all the drug related challenges. Drug markets have an impact on Europe's security, on organised crime, on health policy and on social vulnerability. So our approach must cover prevention, treatment and security! The facts we see in the report show an alarming picture. Cocaine is more available today than ever before. Whereas the volume of cocaine intercepted in Europe decreased by more than 20% in 2024, the seizures rose to 97.000. The Report also highlights the human cost of drug use! The latest figures show at least 7,600 overdose deaths in Europe. We see that Drug trafficking is no longer an isolated area of crime. It finances money laundering, corruption, human trafficking, violence and other forms of serious organized crime. It is precisely these highly professional criminal networks that are behind this market. They use state- of-the-art technologies, encrypted communication, international logistics structures and enormous financial resources. At the same time, they exploit social vulnerabilities: social exclusion, lack of prospects, psychological stress and other social challenges create an environment in which drug use and dependence are encouraged. That's why we take a comprehensive approach . The new EU drugs strategy , the Action Plan against drug trafficking , together with proposed new rules for monitoring and controlling drug precursors : They are all part of this comprehensive EU response to the evolving Drug Phenomenon. The Drug Strategy combines public health and social prevention and treatment measures with a consistent security and law enforcement policy. Because we have to reduce both supply and demand. As far as law enforcement is concerned, at the end of last year we presented a European action plan against drug trafficking. The aim is to combat criminal networks along the entire supply chain - from the production countries through the transit routes to the European sales markets. A focus is on the security of our ports . A large part of the cocaine reaches Europe through them. That is why we are strengthening the European Ports Alliance, improving controls and taking targegreted action against the infiltration of ports by organized crime. And there we see already very good results: And we are intensifying cooperation with partner countries in Latin America and beyond. Drug trafficking is a global business - so our response must also be global. We have to do everything to stop new products flooding the market and use the full force of the law to tackle the business model of illegal traffickers. So, thank you very much again for your work. The report provides not only an important evidence base for our future work, but will also feed into the discussions of the European Council next week. SPEECH/26/1308

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