3006/2025/WEB European Drug Markets: New Psychoactive Substances (NPS)

European Drug Markets: New Psychoactive Substances (NPS)

The aim of this webinar is to introduce the module New Psychoactive Substances of the joint European Union Drugs Agency (EUDA) – Europol publication of the EU Drug Markets. The EU Drug Markets modules consist of a strategic and action-oriented analysis of the information available on Europe’s illicit drug markets. It takes a broad view of these markets from production and trafficking to distribution and use. By covering specific drugs in dedicated modules, it provides a holistic and systemic perspective, capturing key aspects of the wider security and public health consequences of drug markets, as well as the main factors driving change and new threats. It furthermore provides a unique set of essential resources for law enforcement professionals, policy makers and the academic community.

The module New Psychoactive Substances of the EU Drug Market Reports is an EMPACT activity (European Multidisciplinary Platform Against Criminal Threats) and was introduced in 2024. This webinar provides updated views and insights.

By the end of this webinar, the audience will be able to:

• Describe what NPS are compared to international controlled substances by the UN Drug Control Conventions;
• Explain the 3-step European legal framework to respond to NPS, including the roles of the EUDA, the Commission and the functioning of the EU Early Warning System (EWS) in this framework;
• Explain the categorisation of NPS as monitored by the EUDA;
• Describe characteristics in terms of origins, market size as reported to the EU EWS, effects, seizure trends, forms of appearances and production in Europe of the NPS categories: synthetic cathinones, synthetic cannabinoids and synthetic opioids;
• Describe global characteristics of the NPS category benzodiazepines.

EMPACT training activity

Combatting new forms of organised crime requires more cooperation between police and gendarmes, customs officers, border guards, judges, and prosecutors. EU institutions, agencies and Member States work together to tackle organised and serious international crime through a permanent and key instrument: the European Multidisciplinary Platform Against Criminal Threats (EMPACT).

CEPOL plays a crucial role in the EMPACT mechanism through the provision of specialised training and the identification of training needs within each common security threat. Every year, CEPOL provides a comprehensive training package for each common EU crime priority consisting of onsite, online and exchange training activities.

Target audience

Law enforcement and judicial authorities, and (forensic) experts dealing with investigation and prosecution of drug-related serious and organised crime.