Meaningful civil society involvement in the area of drug policy in Europe - Assessment report & literature review

By EU Civil Society Forum on Drugs

Civil society is considered an essential part of sustainable and inclusive development, good governance and responsible citizenship. The importance of civil society involvement in policy making, including the development and implementation of drug policies, is widely recognized. Many efforts are put into strengthening the capacity of civil society organisations (CSOs) to reach out to their constituencies, to collect evidence and to advocate for their causes. Similarly, mechanisms are established to facilitate dialogue between civil society organisations and policy makers at the local, national and international levels.

In 2018, the Civil Society Involvement in Drug Policy Project (CSIDP)1 conducted an assessment on existing civil society involvement structures in EU Member States. The assessment gives a better insight and understanding of the nature and extent of civil society involvement in drug policy at the national level. The CSIDP Road Map Report (2018) provides guidance for the development and implementation of effective and sustainable civil society structures in drug policy on the local, regional and national levels and provides practical examples for policy makers and civil society organisations.