Horizontal Working Party on Drugs

The Horizontal Working Party on Drugs is a Council [Working Party], a preparatory body of the Council of the European Union established in 1997, responsible for the lead and management of the work of the council and of the European Union on drug policy.
The HDG meets monthly in Brussels's Europa building or in the Justus Lipsius building, and prepares all relevant legislation and political documents to be adopted by EU's Committee of Permanent Representatives and subsequently by the Council, such as EU drugs strategies, action plans on drugs, and statements on drug-related aspects to be presented at international fora like the United Nations Commission on Narcotic Drugs. Since 2018, the HDG is also responsible to establish the imperative mandate for the vote on international scheduling by member state of the EU at the Commission on Narcotic Drugs.
The HDG engages and closely collaborates with other EU institutions like the European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction and Europol.
There are frequent meetings of EU countries' national drugs coordinators held as part of HDG meetings. In addition, the HDG regularly meets with delegates from other regions and third countries within the EU's area of interest.