Cooperation Programme between Latin America, the Caribbean and the European Union on drug policies (COPOLAD)

Introduction

The EMCDDA 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 EMCDDA’s partnership in COPOLAD III will build on previous EMCDDA 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 EMCDDA. The programme, which began in February 2021, will run until January 2025 with 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 EMCDDA 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.