6.6.2001 Official Journal of the European Communities L 150/1 (Acts adopted pursuant to Title VI of the Treaty on European Union) COUNCIL DECISION of 28 May 2001 on the transmission of samples of controlled substances (2001/419/JHA) THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION, Having regard to the Treaty on European Union, and in partic- ular Articles 30, 31 and 34(2)(c) thereof, Having regard to the initiative of the Kingdom of Sweden, Having regard to the opinion of the European Parliament ('), Whereas: (1) The fight against the illicit production and trafficking of drugs is a matter of common concern for law enforce- ment and justice authorities in the Member States. (2)  The possibility of legally transmitting samples of seized controlled substances between the authorities of the Member States for the purposes of detection, invest- igation and prosecution of criminal offences or for the forensic analysis of samples would increase the effective- ness of the fight against the illicit production and traf- ficking of drugs. (3) At present no legally binding rules exist regulating the transmission of seized controlled narcotic substance samples between the authorities of the Member States. A system should therefore be created at European Union level to allow for the legal transmission of such samples. Such system should apply to all forms of transmission of samples of seized controlled substances between Member States. Transmission should be based on agree- ment between the sending and the receiving Member State. (4)  Transmission should take place in a manner that is secure and guarantees that the transported samples cannot be abused, HAS DECIDED AS FOLLOWS: Article 1 Establishment of a system for the transmission of samples 1. This Decision establishes a system for the transmission between Member States of samples of controlled substances. (*) Opinion delivered 4 May 2001 (not yet published in the Official Journal). 2. Transmission of samples of controlled substances (herein- after referred to as ‘samples’) shall be considered lawful in all Member States when it is conducted in accordance with this Decision. Article 2 Definitions For the purposes of this Decision, controlled substances means: (a) any substance, natural or synthetic, mentioned in Schedules [ or I of the United Nations Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs 1961, and that Convention as amended by the 1972 Protocol; (b) any substance mentioned in the revised Schedules I, II, III and IV of the United Nations Convention on Psychotropic Substances 1971; (c) any substance that is subject to control measures taken pursuant to Article 5(1) of Joint Action 97/396/JHA of 16 June 1997 concerning the information exchange, risk assessment and the control of new synthetic drugs (3. Article 3 National contact points 1. Each Member State shall designate a national contact point for the purposes of implementing this Decision. 2. Information concerning the designated national contact points, including subsequent modifications, shall be transmitted to the General Secretariat of the Council which shall publish the information in the Official Journal. 3. The national contact points shall, if appropriate in asso- ciation with other relevant national bodies, be the sole bodies competent for authorising the transmission of samples under this Decision, notwithstanding relevant provisions on mutual legal assistance in criminal matters. ® O] L 167, 25.6.1997, p. 1.