Summary remarks by Rafael Benitez
Ministers, State Secretaries, Permanent Correspondents, distinguished guests, and colleagues,
As our Conference draws to a close, this is an opportunity to reflect and to recognise the tangible outcomes that our collective efforts have generated over the past two days. Let me highlight the principal developments and shared commitments that will shape our work over the next four years:
Welcoming Spain as a new member: The Group was greatly enriched by Spain’s accession, strengthening our shared commitment to collaborative responses in drug policy and providing fresh perspectives on future priorities.
Election of new leadership for the 2026–2029 cycle: Our new Presidency and Vice-Presidency: Austria and Czechia will jointly hold the Presidency, with Austria leading the first half and Czechia the latter, while Mexico will assume the Vice-Presidency. The carefully composed Bureau—now comprising Austria, Czechia, Mexico, Cyprus, Malta, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Slovenia, and Switzerland—reflects a balance of experience and diversity that will steer our work forward.
Celebrating prevention efforts: The 2025 Prevention Prize was awarded to three innovative youth-driven initiatives, setting inspiring examples that underscore the power of prevention and the centrality of youth engagement in confronting drug challenges.
We have reviewed impact and progress: Our 2023–2025 Work Programme was thoroughly reviewed, with Member States sharing evidence of concrete impact and milestones achieved, from the development of new standards in treatment and prevention to pioneering intersectoral approaches.
We have adopted a Comprehensive Work Programme embracing a transition to the 2026–2029 priorities and which was informed by substantive contributions from ministries, international partners, and civil society actors—ensuring that our evolving agenda remains rooted in real-world experience and expertise.
Ministerial Declaration: The Declaration is adopted, reaffirming the Pompidou Group’s indispensable role within the Council of Europe. It clearly articulates our shared strategic vision, anchoring drug and addiction policy firmly within a human right, rule of law, and democracy-centered approach.
Focused Thematic Discussions: More than 60 speakers enriched our debates, with exchanges on cutting-edge challenges.
- We deepened our understanding of online addictions, progressing towards coordinated multi-sectoral responses.
- Developments in human rights and drug policy were presented, highlighting both achievements and persistent gaps in access to care, dignity, and the rights of affected populations, guided by the latest advice from the DH-PDA Drafting Committee.
Addressing organised crime and drug trafficking, the Conference reviewed the OC-DT Expert Group’s policy guidelines—an innovative approach with strong potential to become a new standard in this field. Many partner organisations have expressed interest in cooperating with us, and I look forward to seeing this process through to completion and establishing new avenues for cross-border and institutional coordination during 2026.
Takeaways from Interventions:
What stems from this is what we know, broad consensus emerged on the need for balanced, humane, and evidence-based drug policies prioritising prevention, mental health, and support for vulnerable groups—especially children, youth, and those affected by violence or trauma.
The growing concern over synthetic drugs, rapidly changing drug trends, digital drug markets, and the use of the darknet and cryptocurrencies. These challenges require adaptive, modernised approaches, stronger law enforcement cooperation, and updated regulations.
Participants highlighted widespread risks of digital addictions among youth. Effective regulation must address not just online content but also business models and algorithms, while prevention strategies should be evidence-based and co-created with young people.
The unique value of the Pompidou Group in bridging governments, experts, and civil society was repeatedly affirmed. International cooperation—with organisations like the UN, EU, OSCE, and CICAD—was seen as essential for knowledge and scientific evidence sharing, combatting organised crime, and driving effective reform.
Looking Forward: As we enter a new phase, these shared priorities set the foundation for future action—mobilising our expertise to protect public health, uphold social justice, and reinforce our core values: human rights, rule of law, and democracy, the very foundation of the Council of Europe and the core of the Secretary General New Democratic Pact.