Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction (EMCDDA) and the National Security Council of the Republic of Armenia

HTML version

Memorandum of Understanding
between the
National Security Council of the Republic of Armenia
and the
European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction
National Security Council of the Republic of Armenia

The National Security Council of the Republic of Armenia, hereinafter referred to as the ‘NSC’, created by the RA President Decree No 128 of 26 May 2008 and the European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction, hereinafter referred to as the ‘EMCDDA’, based on Regulation (EC) No 1920/2006 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 12 December 2006 (recast), O.J. L 376/1 of 27 December 2006 — hereinafter referred to as ‘the Parties’,

1. Rationale

Recalling the framework established by the European Neighbourhood Policy and particularly article 71 of the Partnership and Cooperation Agreement between the European Communities and their Member States, of the one part, and the Republic of Armenia, of the other part,
Recalling the Eastern Partnership Roadmap 2013, where the European Union reiterated its intention to further strengthen sector cooperation within the Eastern Partnership framework, including collaboration on anti-drugs issues.
The two Parties are guided by the principles and aims of existing multilateral international agreements on drug control. They express their wish to develop a framework of mutual cooperation in the field of information on preventing and responding to illicit drug use, in line with international and EU standards. They recognise that information on the drug phenomenon is an essential and indispensable instrument for the drafting and implementation of drug policies and for the assessment of the impact of actions to reduce the problems originating from drug use and trafficking.
The Parties also express their interest in sharing experience and knowledge of methodologies aiming to develop and harmonise indicators of the drug situation and to develop an information system.
Note is taken of the fact that the NSC is the competent authority to centralise the analysis of non-confidential data on illicit drug consumption and trafficking in the Republic of Armenia.

2. Objective

The objective of this Memorandum is to set up cooperation between the Parties in order to facilitate the collection, processing and dissemination of information on drugs. It also aims to further develop common methods for monitoring illicit drug consumption (and related problems) as well as drug supply (including drug trafficking), with the aim of developing and improving comparable indicators for drug situation and response monitoring and evaluation systems.
3. Responsibilities
Within their respective legal frameworks, the Parties shall invite each other to attend meetings convened under their respective auspices on occasions when they consider subjects of mutual interest will be discussed.
In particular, the NSC will use its best efforts to draw up and present to the EMCDDA an annual report and analytical notes on the drug situation in the Republic of Armenia.

In particular, the EMCDDA will endeavour to facilitate training and the exchange of experts and results of scientific research on the problems of illicit drug trafficking and on monitoring the drug situation as well as on other issues of mutual interest.
The Parties will establish a regular exchange of information on new types of drugs and psychotropic substances that appear on the illegal drug market, the technologies of their production and their use.
The activities on which specific cooperation has been agreed will be set out in a joint work programme, which will be updated every two years.
The Parties will not divulge information or documents received from the other Party without the preliminary consent of the Party that provided the information.
The EMCDDA and the NSC will each designate a contact person for maintaining continued dialogue with a view to ensuring full implementation of the provisions of the present Memorandum of Understanding.

4. Other issues

The Parties understand that the present Memorandum is not an international treaty and does not produce legally binding effects under international law. Practical application and implementation of its content will not be regarded as the fulfilment of international obligations by the European Union and its institutions.
This Memorandum will become effective upon signature by both Parties, for an initial period of five (5) years.
If, at the end of the initial five (5) years, neither of the Parties notify the other of its intention to discontinue the application of the Memorandum, its validity will be renewed for a further five (5) years.
The Memorandum shall cease to be in force six (6) months after the date of receiving such a notification.
The Parties have decided that all possible disputes concerning the interpretation and application of this Memorandum will be settled by means of negotiations and consultations between the organisations themselves.
This Memorandum of Understanding is produced in two original copies in English and Armenian languages, both being authentic. In case of divergence in interpretation of the provisions of the present Memorandum, the English text shall be of reference.

Place of signing: Yerevan on 16 July 2015
SIGNED BY:

For the National Security Council
Of the Republic of Armenia
Mr Aram Tananyan
Chief of the Staff

For the European Monitoring Centre
for Drugs and Drug Addiction
Mr Wolfgang Götz
Director