Cooperation Programme between Latin America, the Caribbean and the European Union on drug policies (COPOLAD)
Introduction
The EUDA has been involved in COPOLAD since 2011 through ad hoc contributions related to supporting National Drug Observatories in Latin American and Caribbean countries (LAC) countries and the EU-CELAC Dialogues. The EUDA's partnership in COPOLAD III will build on previous EUDA contributions in the previous two phases of this project: COPOLAD I (2011–15) and COPOLAD II (2016– 2020).
COPOLAD III is led by the International Ibero-American Foundation for Public Policies and Administrations (FIIAPP), in consortium with the Italian-Latin American International Organization (IILA). Collaborating in the programme are the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit GmbH (GIZ) and the EUDA. The programme, which began in February 2021, has a total budget of EUR 15 million.
COPOLAD III aims to:
- Strengthen the technical capacity and institutional role of the National Drug Observatories (NDO);
- Improve the coherence, balance quality and evidence base of the Drug Demand Reduction (DDR) policies in LAC countries;
- Increase the number of LAC countries having designed and implemented evidence-based drugs supply reduction policies based on human rights, a gender approach, social inclusion, sustainable development and public security.
The EUDA signed a grant agreement with IILA in July 2022, aimed at supporting a range of activities in LAC countries through a stronger focus on data collection, evidence-based policies and research.
Video: Highlights from the COPOLAD III project
Watch the activities carried out by the EUDA-COPOLAD in Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC) countries:
About
Timetable for EUDA cooperation: July 2022-November 2024 (extended until March 2025).
Objectives
The EUDA will support FIIAPP and the IILA in delivering the following programme outputs:
- strengthened technical capacity and institutional role of the NDOs;
- improved coherence, balance, quality and evidence base of drug demand reduction policies in LAC countries;
- effective strengthening of cooperation in drug trafficking investigative activities;
- enhanced support for the political–technical dialogue between EU and LAC regions on drug-related issues.
Activities
News
Activities implemented by the EUDA-COPOLAD project
With support from the IILA grant, the EUDA carried out activities across the four COPOLAD components in Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC). Learn more about the initiatives below.
- Component 1: Strengthened National Drug Observatories and Early Warning Systems
- Component 2: Demand reduction
- Component 3: Supply reduction
- Component 4: Strengthened political dialogue between the EU and Latin American and Caribbean (LAC) countries
Strengthened National Drug Observatories and Early Warning Systems
Date: April 2023, Chile
- Event co-organised with SENDA (Chile) and CICAD/OAS
- Capacity-building activities focusing on complementary data-collection methodologies (e.g. wastewater and web surveys); developing and strengthening national EWS for LAC countries; and strengthening the technical capacity and institutional role of national drug observatories
Co-host of the annual meeting of LAC NDO
Date: May 2023, Portugal
- Participation in the extended Reitox meeting
- Study visits: mobile methadone distribution unit, mobile drug consumption room; scientific police laboratory.
Participation in the IX International Conference on NPS
Date: October 2022, Panama
- Meeting with members of the Panamanian National Commission for the Study and Prevention of Drug-Related Crimes (CONAPRED) and the Panamanian National Drug Observatory (OPADRO).
Date: February 2024, online
- Topics covered: stakeholder engagement for EWS and mapping of actors and information networks
LAC experts in key epidemiological indicator meetings
- Participation of LAC experts in all five annual key epidemiological indicator meetings for the duration of the project
Translation of Early Warning System publications into Spanish
Publication
Technical support for the implementation of the national EWS
January 2024, Jamaica
- Event co-organised with the National Council on Drug Abuse (NCDA)
- Training for Jamaican stakeholders on the implementation of a national EWS
- Support for the launch of the Jamaican EWS
Technical support for the development of future-proof NEWS
October 2024, online
- Capacity-building online event focusing on foresight methodologies
- Selected Caribbean countries invited to participate in a foresight exercise
Technical support on wastewater (Argentina, Chile and Uruguay)
Protocol/methodology
- Three protocols for the implementation of wastewater studies, tailored to the national context of Argentina, Chile and Uruguay
Technical support on sampling estimation for surveys (Uruguay)
Protocol/methodology
- Methodology for sampling estimation to be applied for population surveys in Uruguay
Date: February 2025, Argentina
- Co-organised with the Secretaría de Políticas Integrales sobre Drogas de la Nación Argentina (SEDRONAR)
- Review and finalisation of the wastewater protocols
- Technical exchange with the participation of experts from Jamaica and Trinidad and Tobago
Technical visit on cannabis policies (Uruguay)
Date: February 2025, Argentina
- Co-organised with the Junta Nacional de Drogas (JND)
- Technical meetings with the Uruguayan authorities and field visits
- Technical support provided, focusing on the second cannabis policy evaluation
- Bi-regional seminar focusing on the monitoring and evaluation of cannabis policies
Technical visit on cannabis policies (Jamaica)
Date: January 2024, Jamaica
- Co-organised with the National Council on Drug Abuse (NCDA)
- Bi-regional exchange with Jamaican authorities and field visits
Bi-regional workshop on cannabis policy and evaluation
Date: January 2024, Jamaica
- Co-organised with the National Council on Drug Abuse (NCDA)
- Technical exchange with the participation of experts from LAC countries with implemented cannabis policies
- Meeting report available in English and Spanish
Study on cannabis policies in the Americas (not yet available)
Publication
- Study report describing the different policy approaches introduced in the region, and assessing the evaluation methods and robustness of the evidence gathered on the impacts of those policy changes
- Report in English and Spanish
Webinar – Bi-regional exchange on cannabis policies: achievements and insights from COPOLAD III
Date: February 2025, online
- Webinar to present overview and achievements of cannabis policy-related activities
- Presentation of Cannapol, a European Cannabis Policy Toolkit under development
Networking events Lisbon Addictions 2022 and Lisbon Addictions 2024
Participation
- Networking event for LAC attending Lisbon Addictions
Bursaries to Lisbon Addictions 2024
Bursaries
Demand reduction
Adapted EUPC basic curriculum to Latin America and Caribbean
- Adapted EUPC manuals in English, Spanish and Portuguese
- 13 EUPC trainings in English, Spanish and Portuguese
- 231 people achieved basic certification
- Online Virtual Community of Practice in Spanish and Portuguese
- 1 Master trainer and 3 national trainers (Brazil)
Date: August 2024, Brazil
- Online platform with evaluated evidence-based prevention intervention, in Spanish and Portuguese.
- Launched in Brasília, Brazil in August 2024
Adaptation of three miniguides on health and social responses
Publication
- Three adapted miniguides available in English and Spanish: Action Framework; Women; Cannabis
- Methodology for adapting the miniguides
Webinars on health and social responses
Date: November 2024, online
Bursaries to the European Drugs Winter School and European Drugs Summer School
Bursaries
- Bursaries covering registration fees and other expenses awarded to LAC following a competitive process
Health and social responses to drugs — achievements of the COPOLAD III project
Date: February 2025, online
- Webinar – overview of achievements within Component 2
Supply reduction
Expert meeting on chemical concealment of cocaine
June 2023, The Netherlands
- Co-organised with the Dutch National Police and the EU-funded CHEMTEC Project
EUDA/CEPOL course on strategic analysis of drug markets
April 2024, Portugal
- Aimed to improve the use of strategic market analyses in decision-making, particularly in drug supply reduction and tackling drug crime.
- Session dedicated to discussing the drug situation in COPOLAD and EU neighbourhood countries
February 2025, online
- Co-organised with CARICOM and IILA
Report on chemical concealment of cocaine
Publication
- Report from the expert meeting on chemical concealment of cocaine
- Available in English, Spanish and Portuguese. (The report is not public, restricted access).
Mapping of forensic capacity in Latin American and Caribbean countries
Publication
- Data collected via survey, with 19 LAC countries participating
- Available in English and Spanish (The report is not public, restricted access).
Strengthened political dialogue between the EU and Latin American and Caribbean (LAC) countries
Representation in technical and steering committee meetings
Representation in the annual COPOLAD meeting and EU-CELAC meeting
Beneficiaries
The source data for this graphic is available in the source table on this page.
| Country | Country code | Participates |
|---|---|---|
| Antigua and Barbuda | AG | Yes |
| Argentina | AR | Yes |
| Bahamas | undefined | Yes |
| Barbados | BB | Yes |
| Belize | BZ | Yes |
| Bolivia | BO | Yes |
| Brazil | BR | Yes |
| Chile | CL | Yes |
| Colombia | CO | Yes |
| Costa Rica | CR | Yes |
| Cuba | CU | Yes |
| Dominica | DM | Yes |
| El Salvador | SV | Yes |
| Ecuador | EC | Yes |
| Grenada | GD | Yes |
| Guatemala | GT | Yes |
| Guyana | GY | Yes |
| Haiti | HT | Yes |
| Honduras | HN | Yes |
| Jamaica | JM | Yes |
| Mexico | MX | Yes |
| Panama | PA | Yes |
| Paraguay | PY | Yes |
| Peru | PE | Yes |
| Dominican Republic | DO | Yes |
| Saint Lucia | LC | Yes |
| Saint Kitts and Nevis | KN | Yes |
| Saint Vincent and the Grenadines | VC | Yes |
| Suriname | SR | Yes |
| Trinidad and Tobago | TT | Yes |
| Uruguay | UY | Yes |
| Venezuela | VE | Yes |