Vienna, Austria — On 26 June 2026, the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) and the European Union Drugs Agency (EUDA) marked a new phase in their longstanding collaboration with the signature of a new Working Arrangement. The agreement was signed on behalf of the two organizations by Ms. Monica Juma, Executive Director of UNODC, and Dr. Lorraine Nolan, Executive Director of EUDA.
The signature took place during a ceremony held at UNODC Headquarters in Vienna, Austria, on the occasion of World Drug Day 2026 (26 June), in the presence of H.E. Carl Hallergård, EU Ambassador to the International Organisations in Vienna.Cooperation between the two organizations dates back to the early years following their establishment. UNODC — then known as the United Nations International Drug Control Programme (UNDCP) — began collaborating with the European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction (EMCDDA) shortly after its creation in 1993. This partnership was formalized through a Memorandum of Understanding signed on 13 March 1998, covering key thematic areas including data collection and analysis, drug demand reduction, and epidemiology.
On 2 July 2024, the EMCDDA officially became the European Union Drugs Agency (EUDA), expanding its mandate with new tools and competencies aimed at strengthening the European Union’s preparedness on drugs. The newly signed Working Arrangement reflects the ambition of reinforcing cooperation across an expanded range of strategic areas to help deliver a more coordinated international response to the evolving drug situation. These include data collection, forensic and scientific analysis, trends and threats assessment, health and social services, supply reduction, and engagement with civil society.
Ms. Juma states: “I am pleased to sign this agreement and strengthen the partnership between UNODC and EUDA. Together, we will leverage the comparative advantages of our organizations to improve responses through broader data coverage and stronger national capacities. This will in turn give us a better global understanding of drug threats and challenges, enabling us to scale up our impact and provide countries with the tools to respond more effectively.”
Dr. Lorraine Nolan says: ‘On World Drug Day, this Working Arrangement marks an important milestone in the longstanding collaboration between the EUDA and UNODC. It reflects our common commitment to addressing drug-related challenges through strong evidence, partnership and shared responsibility. By combining our expertise and networks, we can strengthen global intelligence on drugs and help countries identify and respond to emerging risks. Our focus now is on turning this agreement into practical results that boost preparedness and support more effective responses around the world’.
Immediate areas of concrete collaboration will include mapping data collection mechanisms with a view to alleviating the reporting burden on Member States and enhancing their preparedness to address emerging threats. The organizations will also support research on the treatment of stimulant use disorders through the #ScaleUp initiative and joint approaches to boost the participation of civil society in international policymaking processes.
