The 18th Ministerial Conference of the Pompidou Group, Europe’s premier platform for drug policy (programme), will focus on promoting sustainable drug and addiction policies in conformity with human rights. The conference, taking place in Lisbon from 13-14 December, gathers Ministers, Government representatives, drug policy experts, law enforcement officials, health and justice officials and civil society representatives to assess the impact of current trends in drug use and other addictions including online addictions like internet betting and gambling.
Portuguese Health Minister Manuel Pizarro, representing the current presidency, and Council of Europe Deputy Secretary General Björn Berge will open the conference, during which Italy, represented by the Under Secretary of State of the Presidency of the Council of Ministers Alfredo Mantovano, will take over the Group’s presidency from Portugal, which has presided over the last four years. Media are welcome to attend a press conference scheduled at 1 pm on 14 December at the venue.
The opening day of the conference will feature sessions taking stock of Pompidou Group accomplishments since 2019 and their impact across the 41 member states, which include three non-European countries: Israel, Mexico and Morocco. A final declaration will set out the broad policy direction to be followed by the Group in the coming years.
