22.1.97 ~ Official Journal of the European Communities No L 19/25 DECISION No 102/97/EC OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND OF THE COUNCIL of 16 December 1996 adopting a programme of Community action on the prevention of drug depen- dence within the framework for action in the field of public health (1996-2000) THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND THE COUNCIL OF . THE EUROPEAN UNION, Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Community, and in particular Article 129 thereof, Having regard to the proposal from the Commission ('), Having regard to the opinion of the Economic and Social Committee (), Having regard to the opinion of the Committee of the Regions (%), . Acting in accordance with the procedure laid down in A Article 189b of the Treaty (), in the light of the joint text approved by the Conciliation Committee on 1 October 1996, (1) Whereas drug dependence has grown alarmingly in the Member States and has serious implications for the health of individuals and the welfare of the general public; (2) Whereas, by setting up in 1985 a Committee of Inquiry into the problem of drugs in the Member States of the European Community, the European Parliament demonstrated its desire to study in depth the factors which trigger drug demand and enable drugs to continue being produced and distributed; (3) Whereas in its resolutions concerning this problem (°) the European Parliament formulated a series of proposals with a view, in particular, to Community action on the prevention of drug depen- dence; (4) Whereas the European Council, at its meeting in Dublin on 25 and 26 June 1990, ‘stressed the responsibility of each Member State to develop an () OJ No C 257, 14. 9. 1994, p. 4 and OJ No C 34, 7. 2. 1996, 4 (* 5_] No C 110, 2. 5. 1995, p. 8. () OJ No C 210, 14. 8. 1995, p. 88. () Opinion of the European Parliament of 20 September 1995 (OJ No C 269, 16. 10. 1995, p. 65), Council common position of 20 December 1995 (O] No C 37, 9. 2. 1996, p. 1) and De- cision of the European Parliament of 16 April 1996 (O] No C 141, 13. 5. 1996, p. 42). Council Decision of 12 November 1996. () OJ No C 172, 2. 7. 1984, p. 130; OJ No C 283, 10. 11. 1986, p. 79; O] No C 47, 27. 2. 1989, p. 51 and OJ No C 150, 15. 6. 1992, - p. 42 . appropriate drug demand reduction programme’ and ‘considered that effective action by each Member State, supported by joint action of the Twelve and the Community, should be a main priority over the coming years’; (5) Whereas the actions undertaken at Community level on the basis of Council resolutions, declarations and conclusions relating to the prevention of drug depen- dence, and in particular subsequent to the emphasis placed by the European Council, meeting in Rome’ on 14 and 15 December 1990, on the European Plan to Combat Drugs, have helped to sustain the Member States’ efforts; (6) Whereas the Council, in its Resolution of 2 June 1994 (), in response to the Commission communica- tion of 24 November 1993 on a framework for action in the field of public health, included drug depen- ‘dence among the priority areas for Community action for which the Commission was invited to bring forward proposals for action; (7) Whereas Regulation (EEC) No 302/93 () established a European Monitoring Centre on Drugs and Drug Addiction (EDMC) to provide the Community and the Member States with reliable and comparable - information concerning drugs and drug addiction; (8) Whereas, in accordance with its constituent Regula- tion, the EDMC actively seeks the cooperation of international organizations and other, particularly European, governmental and non-governmental agencies having responsibility in the sector of drugs; (9) Whereas the declaration on the occasion of the entry into force of the Treaty on European Union adopted by the European Council, meeting in Brussels on 29 - October 1993, emphasized that the Treaty provides ‘a structured institutional framework, so that in par- ticular greater control can be achieved over those of society’s problems that run across frontiers, such as drugs (..); (10) Whereas the problems associated with the drugs phenomenon are such that they require a fully coordinated and global strategy, as stated by the European Council, meeting in Brussels on 10 and 11 December 1993; ' (9 OJ No C 165, 17. 6. 1994, p. 1. () OJ No L 36, 12. 2. 1993, p. 1.