Ref. Ares(2023)4265410 - 20/06/2023
To:
PARIAT Monique (HOME); ONIDI Olivier (HOME);
Cc:
Subject:
Meeting with Ms Wegge, SPD Member of the Bundestag, Brussels,
7 November 2022
On 7 November 2022,
and myself met Ms Carmen Wegge, SPD Member of the
Bundestag, in charge of the questions on legalizing Cannabis, accompanied by
and another col eague from the SPD Liaison Office in Brussels. The meeting
was originally requested for the German Federal Government Commissioner for Addiction and
Drug Issues, Burkhard Blienert, to discuss the German ideas for cannabis legalisation; however
Mr Blienert did not join, being probably busy in other contacts/meetings in Brussels.
During the meeting, Ms Wegge indicated that the German authorities are waiting for the
position of the Commission on the “Key issues paper” shared on 26 October and would proceed
for a formal notification of the draft legislation only afterwards. She pointed out that Germany
would adapt its plan, notably towards a decriminalisation only option, in case the Commission
would issue comments on the current proposal. While appreciating the transparent approach,
we explained that the Commission does not comment on draft legislation.
Regarding the preparatory work carried out by Germany, she referred to the situation in the
country (10% of adults are consuming cannabis), the hearings organised by the authorities, and
concluded that there is a need to change the current approach in order to ensure more
prevention measures, allocate more resources, to protect youth, ensure quality, etc. The
experience of other countries with similar initiatives has been taken fully into account in
developing the German proposal and Germany is in contact with other countries of the EU
interested in the matter.
Ms Wegge recal ed also the main elements of the proposal stressing that in some points the
federal legislation could be made stricter by the Länders (she gave the example of areas where
shops sel ing cannabis could not be opened) and that the authorities would carry out strong
awareness raising campaigns.
Finally, Ms Wegge enquired whether the Commission intends to revise Council Framework
Decision 2004/757 on trafficking of drugs; we indicated that this is not currently foreseen in the
work program of the Commission and that, if so decided, it would require a through impact
assessment that would take at least 18 months and probably more. Large consultations would
also be needed. Moreover, the Commission is now at mid-term and launching a new proposal
in this area does not seem realistic.
(With many thanks to
for having prepared the report).
Kind regards
European Commission
DG Migration and Home Affairs
Organised Crime and Drugs
B-1049 Brussels/Belgium
Follow us:
|
|
Sign up to our newsletter
