This project aims to support and enhance the work of the Civil Society Forum on Drugs (CSFD). The CSFD is an expert group of the European Commission that serves as the official platform for informal dialogue between civil society and EU institutions. The CSFD has 45 non-governmental not-for-profit organizational members from EU member states and candidate countries and is coordinated by a Core Group of elected representatives. The CSFD boasts a diverse membership that represents various fields of expertise and approaches, among others major European professional and advocacy networks in the field of drugs. The CSFD receives some funding for 1 plenary meeting per year and a meeting of the Core Group. This action will strengthen the ongoing activities currently undertaken by the CSFD on a voluntary basis.

This project aims to enhance the organisational capacity of the CSFD and work of the thematic work groups decided by the CSF and, more specifically:

• Enhance the organisation and communications capacity of the CSFD.
• Engage in the evaluation of the 2013-2016 action plan and developing recommendations for the 2016 – 2019 action plan on drugs.
• Develop structures of meaningful engagement for the CSFD with EU institutions (European Commission, European Parliament and the European Council) and influence EU positions on international drug policy issues
• Asses and strengthen national level civil society engagement for organisations working in the field of drugs.
• Promote Minimum Quality Standards for incorporation at EU level, working from consensus to practice

The long term impact of this project will be increased civil society engagement at regional level and national level including the European Commission, Horizontal working group on drugs and European Parliament.

 

Co-funded by the Rights, Equality and Citizenship (REC) Programme of the European Union CFSD, 760099 – CSFD (2017-2019)