The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) and the European Union Drugs Agency (EUDA) signed a new Working Arrangement on 26 June 2026, marking a new phase in their cooperation on drug-related issues. The agreement was signed by UNODC Executive Director Monica Juma and EUDA Executive Director Lorraine Nolan during a ceremony at UNODC Headquarters in Vienna, on the occasion of the International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking. The new arrangement aims to reinforce collaboration across data collection, forensic analysis, threat assessment, health services, supply reduction, and civil society engagement. Immediate priorities include mapping data collection mechanisms to reduce reporting burdens on member states and enhancing preparedness for emerging threats, as well as joint research on stimulant use disorders through the #ScaleUp initiative and boosting civil society participation in international policymaking.
The partnership between the two organisations dates back to the early 1990s, when UNODC—then the United Nations International Drug Control Programme—began working with the European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction (EMCDDA) shortly after its creation in 1993. That collaboration was formalised through a Memorandum of Understanding signed on 13 March 1998, covering data collection, drug demand reduction, and epidemiology. On 2 July 2024, the EMCDDA was renamed the European Union Drugs Agency, expanding its mandate with new tools to strengthen EU preparedness on drugs. The new Working Arrangement builds on this evolution, reflecting an ambition to deliver a more coordinated international response to the changing drug landscape. Both executives emphasised the importance of evidence-based cooperation: Juma noted that leveraging comparative advantages would improve global understanding of drug threats, while Nolan stressed turning the agreement into practical results that boost preparedness and support effective responses worldwide.