“The celebration at the Pompidou Centre has been of course a major highlight of the 50th Anniversary’s programme, which included a large number of events throughout 2021 […]. But this year we have not only celebrated the anniversary of the Pompidou Group, and highlighted its achievements over five decades: we have also laid the ground for its future action, thanks to the decision taken by your Committee on 16 June - the adoption of the Pompidou Group’s revised statute”, said João Castel-Branco Goulão, President of the Pompidou Group’s Permanent Correspondents, on the occasion of his exchange of views with the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe on 10 November 2021. Numerous countries took the floor to congratulate the Pompidou Group for its work in the human rights field and the adoption of its new statute.
The process of adopting a revised statute for the Pompidou Group was launched 3 years ago at the Ministerial Conference in Stavanger, Norway, and culminated in the adoption of a revised statute by the Committee of Ministers on 16 June 2021. An immediate effect of the new statute was the change of the official name of the Group to Council of Europe International Co-operation Group on Drugs and Addictions, which reflects the modernised approach it will adopt as major actor in drug policy international cooperation in the next years and decades.
The President also outlined the rich programme of the anniversary that has taken place throughout the year, with the 28 October celebration in Paris as its highlight. A closing event will be organised in Lisbon on 15 December on a very topical issue - evolution on cannabis-related policies in Europe and elsewhere in the world.
- President’s speech of 10 November
- Adoption of the revised statute
- 50th anniversary programme
- Celebration event of 28 October
- Committee of Ministers' Decision