MEP Nikos Pappas (The Left) has submitted a written parliamentary question to the European Commission, challenging the adequacy of EU policies on prevention, early intervention, and personalised treatment for substance use, with specific reference to recent Greek legislation. The question, filed on 20 April 2026, targets potential incompatibilities between national reforms and EU principles, and could impact stakeholders such as people who use drugs, healthcare providers, national authorities, and EU regulatory bodies.
Pappas raises concerns about Greece's Law 5129/2024, which established the National Organisation for Preventing and Combating Addiction (EOPAE) and consolidated rehabilitation structures. He questions whether this centralisation risks undermining diversified therapeutic approaches and personalised care, in line with users' needs. The MEP cites the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights (Articles 2 and 35) and the EU drugs strategy and action plan 2021-2025, which prioritise reducing deaths, early intervention, and personalised treatment.
1) an assessment of Greek legislative changes' compatibility with EU principles of personalised, differentiated, and evidence-based treatment; 2) how the Commission ensures effective implementation of personalised and evidence-based approaches across Member States; and 3) how systems for monitoring, collecting, and comparing data on deaths and therapeutic outcomes are strengthened at EU level.
Pappas's policy orientation leans towards preserving diversity in therapeutic approaches and strengthening EU-level oversight and data collection. The Commission is expected to reply within approximately six weeks; its answer will signal the EU's stance on balancing national sovereignty in drug policy with EU health principles and the role of the European Union Drugs Agency (EUDA) in promoting evidence-based practices.
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