Subscribe
On May 4, 2026, on the sidelines of the European Political Community Summit held in Yerevan, the second meeting of the European Coalition Against Drugs (ECAD) was held. This is a joint initiative promoted by Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and French President Emmanuel Macron. This meeting represents a significant milestone in the process initiated in October 2025 in Copenhagen, when European leaders laid the foundation for enhanced cooperation in combating drug trafficking and consumption. In this sense, the Yerevan meeting is not an isolated event, but rather part of a progressive and structured strategy aimed at building a shared approach at the continental level. The geopolitical and institutional context surrounding the meeting further highlights its importance. The European Political Community (EPC) is a broad and inclusive space for dialogue, bringing together member and non-member countries of the European Union around common strategic issues. Within this framework, the fight against drugs is taking on an increasingly transnational dimension, requiring coordination tools that transcend traditional legal and administrative boundaries. The meeting was attended by numerous member states, representatives of European institutions, and supranational bodies, including the Council of Europe. The primary objective was to define concrete operational priorities and adopt a joint declaration to guide future policies, while strengthening existing cooperation mechanisms. From this perspective, the initiative is part of a broader multilevel governance framework aimed at improving Europe’s ability to address complex and interconnected challenges such as drug trafficking, substance use, and their related social and economic implications.
THE THREE PILLARS OF THE EUROPEAN STRATEGY
The adopted declaration identifies three priority areas for intervention, configuring an integrated approach that combines enforcement, prevention, and economic and financial regulation. The first pillar concerns strengthening the fight against illicit drug trafficking, with a specific focus on maritime and port activities. The second focuses on threats related to illegal financial flows, money laundering, and corruption. The third pillar focuses on reducing drug demand and related harm, including the new challenges posed by synthetic substances. This tripartite approach reflects a systemic view of the phenomenon, recognizing the interconnection between criminal, economic, and social dimensions. The stated objective is to overcome fragmented approaches, favoring instead a coordinated and multilevel response.
MARITIME TRAFFIC AND PORT SECURITY
One of the strategy’s central elements is combating maritime drug trafficking, considered a priority as over 80 percent of illicit substances imported into Europe are believed to transit via maritime routes. In this context, European ports play a crucial role as logistical hubs vulnerable to criminal infiltration. The proposed measures include strengthening port security through common standards, implementing early warning systems, and increasing interconnection between European port infrastructures. Particular emphasis is placed on cooperation with third countries and the involvement of the private sector, in order to build a more resilient prevention network. At the same time, maritime surveillance operations are expected to be strengthened through closer coordination of naval resources. Attention also extends to new trafficking methods, such as the use of high-speed vessels and narco-submarines, which require updating regulatory and operational frameworks.
THE ROLE OF AGENCIES AND INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION
A significant contribution to the European strategy is attributed to the Maritime Analysis and Operations Center, which supports counter-narcotic activities in the Atlantic and Mediterranean areas. The coalition aims to strengthen its operational capabilities, expanding its geographic reach and improving information collection and sharing systems. From this perspective, the importance of developing partnerships with coastal and neighboring countries, particularly in the Mediterranean and the Gulf of Guinea, is emphasized. Furthermore, the implementation of the outlined policies will benefit from the support of international organizations specialized in the fight against organized crime, including the UNODC.
COMBATING ILLICIT FINANCIAL FLOWS
The second pillar of the strategy focuses on combating the economic and financial aspects of drug trafficking. Drug-related criminal activities are closely linked to money laundering, infiltration of the legal economy, and corruption, necessitating an integrated approach targeting the financial resources of criminal organizations. In this context, the role of sanctioning mechanisms aimed at confiscating illicit assets is recognized, as is the importance of strengthened cooperation between states for the seizure of criminal proceeds. Particular attention is paid to the use of cryptocurrencies, increasingly used in money laundering processes, which requires adequate monitoring and regulation.
PREVENTION, RECOVERY, AND SOCIAL POLICIES
Alongside repressive measures, the coalition promotes a balanced approach that gives a central role to prevention and recovery from addiction. Drug policies are considered effective in the long term only if accompanied by targeted interventions for vulnerable populations, particularly young people and individuals exposed to crisis or conflict. Among the initiatives envisaged are the strengthening of national drug observatories and early warning systems, aimed at monitoring new substances and consumption patterns. Furthermore, the aim is to promote shared quality standards for treatment centers and develop social reintegration policies to ensure sustainable recovery paths. Another area of intervention concerns emerging threats related to synthetic drugs and the chemical precursors used in their production. The focus is on regions particularly exposed, both due to their geographical location along logistical routes and the presence of clandestine laboratories. In this context, the creation of a regional network in the Western Balkans for control is proposed, accompanied by the development of regulatory frameworks regulating the import and export of these substances by legitimate operators.
PROSPECTS FOR IMPLEMENTATION AND EUROPEAN COORDINATION
The implementation of the measures outlined during the meeting will be structured within existing European Union strategies, integrating with existing regulatory and operational frameworks and strengthening their overall coherence. In this process, a central role will be played by ad hoc working groups composed of participating states and participating organizations, called upon to translate political guidelines into concrete actions. These groups represent an essential tool for ensuring not only the effectiveness of policies but also their adaptability to different national and regional contexts, characterized by varying levels of exposure to drug trafficking and specific socioeconomic vulnerabilities. The approach outlined is based on a balance between central coordination and operational flexibility. On the one hand, the definition of common objectives and shared standards helps avoid fragmentation and misalignment between national policies; on the other, the ability to tailor interventions to local contexts fosters greater effectiveness. This multilevel governance model appears particularly relevant in an area like anti-drug policies, where criminal and social dynamics evolve rapidly and require timely and differentiated responses. From this perspective, the European Coalition Against Drugs is a laboratory for advanced cooperation, capable of connecting different dimensions of public action: security, economic and financial regulation, and social intervention. The integration of these areas is a key element of the initiative, as it allows for a systemic approach to the drug problem, overcoming sectoral approaches that have shown significant limitations in the past. The fight against drug trafficking, in fact, cannot be separated from the fight against illicit financial flows or from prevention and recovery policies, which directly impact demand and risk factors. The meeting held in Yerevan therefore takes on both symbolic and operational significance. It marks a step forward on the path toward building a truly shared European strategy, based on intensified international cooperation and a multidimensional approach. At the same time, it highlights the growing awareness among European stakeholders of the need to address the drug phenomenon as a complex and transnational challenge, requiring innovative tools, ongoing coordination, and sustained political commitment in the medium and long term.