Regulation (EC) No 273/2004 of the European Parliament and of the CouncilShow full title

Regulation (EC) No 273/2004 of the European Parliament and of the Council

of 11 February 2004

on drug precursors

(Text with EEA relevance)

THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION,

Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Community, and in particular Article 95 thereof,

Having regard to the proposal from the Commission(1),

Having regard to the opinion of the European Economic and Social Committee(2),

Acting in accordance with the procedure laid down in Article 251 of the Treaty(3),

Whereas:

(1) The United Nations Convention against Illicit Traffic in Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances, adopted in Vienna on 19 December 1988, hereinafter referred to as the ‘United Nations Convention’, was concluded by the Community by Council Decision 90/611/EEC(4).

(2) The requirements of Article 12 of the United Nations Convention in respect of trade in drug precursors (i.e. substances frequently used in the illicit manufacture of narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances) have been implemented, as far as trade between the Community and third countries is concerned, by Council Regulation (EEC) No 3677/90 of 13 December 1990 laying down measures to be taken to discourage the diversion of certain substances to the illicit manufacture of narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances(5).

(3) Article 12 of the United Nations Convention envisages adoption of appropriate measures to monitor the manufacture and distribution of precursors. This requires the adoption of measures relating to the trade in precursors among Member States. Such measures were introduced by Council Directive 92/109/EEC of 14 December 1992 on the manufacture and the placing on the market of certain substances used in the illicit manufacture of narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances(6). To better ensure that harmonised rules are applied at the same time in all Member States, a regulation is considered to be more adequate than the current Directive.

(4) In the context of the enlargement of the European Union, it is important to replace Directive 92/109/EEC by a regulation, as each modification of that Directive and its Annexes would trigger national implementation measures in 25 Member States.

(5) By decisions taken at its 35th session in 1992, the United Nations Commission on Narcotic Drugs included additional substances in the tables of the Annex to the United Nations Convention. Corresponding provisions should be laid down in this Regulation in order to detect possible cases of illicit diversion of drug precursors in the Community and to ensure that common monitoring rules are applied in the Community market.

(6) The provisions of Article 12 of the United Nations Convention are based on a system of monitoring trade in the substances in question. Most trade in these substances is entirely lawful. The documentation of consignments and labelling of these substances should be sufficiently explicit. It is furthermore important, whilst providing competent authorities with the necessary means of action, to develop, within the spirit of the United Nations Convention, mechanisms based on close cooperation with the operators concerned and on the development of intelligence gathering.

(7) The measures applicable to sassafras oil are currently interpreted in different ways in the Community, since in some Member States it is regarded as a mixture containing Safrole and is therefore controlled, while other Member States regard it as a natural product not subject to controls. Inserting a reference to natural products in the definition of ‘scheduled substances’ will resolve this discrepancy and therefore allow controls to be applied to sassafras oil; only natural products from which scheduled substances can be extracted easily should be covered by the definition.

(8) Substances commonly used in the illicit manufacture of narcotic drugs or psychotropic substances should be listed in an Annex.

(9) It should be ensured that the manufacture or use of certain scheduled substances listed in Annex I is subject to possession of a licence. In addition, the supply of such substances should be permitted only where the persons to whom they are to be supplied are holders of a licence and have signed a customer declaration. The detailed rules concerning the customer declaration should be laid down in Annex III.

(10) Measures should be adopted to encourage operators to notify the competent authorities of suspect transactions involving scheduled substances listed in Annex I.

(11) Measures should be adopted in order to guarantee better control of intra-Community trade in scheduled substances listed in Annex I.

(12) All transactions leading to the placing on the market of scheduled substances of categories 1 and 2 of Annex I should be properly documented. Operators should notify the competent authorities of any suspect transactions involving the substances listed in Annex I. However, exemptions should apply to transactions involving substances of category 2 of Annex I where the quantities involved do not exceed those indicated in Annex II.

(13) A significant number of other substances, many of them traded legally in large quantities, have been identified as precursors to the illicit manufacture of synthetic drugs and psychotropic substances. To subject these substances to the same strict controls as those listed in Annex I would present an unnecessary obstacle to trade involving licences to operate and documentation of transactions. Therefore, a more flexible mechanism at Community level should be established whereby the competent authorities in the Member States are notified of such transactions.

(14) The introduction of a cooperation procedure is provided for in the European Union action plan against drugs approved by the European Council of Santa Maria da Feira on 19 and 20 June 2000. In order to support cooperation between the competent authorities of the Member States and the chemicals industry, in particular with regard to substances which, although not referred to in this Regulation, might be used in the illicit manufacture of synthetic drugs and psychotropic substances, guidelines should be drawn up aimed at helping the chemical industry.

(15) It is appropriate to make provision for the Member States to lay down rules on penalties applicable for infringement of the provisions of this Regulation. Given that the trade in drug precursors may lead to the illicit manufacture of synthetic drugs and psychotropic substances, Member States should be free to choose the most dissuasive penalties available under their national legislation.

(16) The measures necessary for the implementation of this Regulation should be adopted in accordance with Council Decision 1999/468/EC of 28 June 1999 laying down the procedures for the exercise of implementing powers conferred on the Commission(7).

(17) Since the objectives of this Regulation, namely the harmonised monitoring of the trade in drug precursors and the avoidance of its diversion to the illicit manufacture of synthetic drugs and psychotropic substances, cannot be sufficiently achieved by the Member States and can therefore, by reason of the international and changeable nature of such trade, be better achieved at Community level, the Community may adopt measures, in accordance with the principle of subsidiarity as set out in Article 5 of the Treaty. In accordance with the principle of proportionality, as set out in that Article, this Regulation does not go beyond what is necessary in order to achieve those objectives.

(18) Council Directive 92/109/EEC, Commission Directives 93/46/EEC(8), 2001/8/EC(9) and 2003/101/EC(10) and Commission Regulations (EC) No 1485/96(11) and (EC) No 1533/2000(12) should be repealed,

HAVE ADOPTED THIS REGULATION:

(1)

OJ C 20 E, 28.1.2003, p. 160.

(2)

OJ C 95, 23.4.2003, p. 6.

(3)

Opinion of the European Parliament of 11 March 2003 (not yet published in the Official Journal), Council common position of 29 September 2003 (OJ C 277 E, 18.11.2003, p. 31) and position of the European Parliament of 16 December 2003 (not yet published in the Official Journal).

(4)

OJ L 326, 24.11.1990, p. 56.

(5)

OJ L 357, 20.12.1990, p. 1. Regulation as last amended by Commission Regulation (EC) No 1232/2002 (OJ L 180, 10.7.2002, p. 5).

(6)

OJ L 370 19.12.1992, p. 76. Directive as last amended by Regulation (EC) No 1882/2003 of the European Parliament and of the Council (OJ L 284, 31.10.2003, p. 1).

(7)

OJ L 184, 17.7.1999, p. 23.

(8)

Commission Directive 93/46/EEC of 22 June 1993 replacing and modifying the Annexes to Council Directive 92/109/EEC on the manufacture and placing on the market of certain substances used in the illicit manufacture of narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances (OJ L 159, 1.7.1993, p. 134).

(9)

Commission Directive 2001/8/EC of 8 February 2001 replacing Annex I to Council Directive 92/109/EEC on the manufacture and placing on the market of certain substances used in the illicit manufacture of narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances (OJ L 39, 9.2.2001, p. 31).

(10)

Commission Directive 2003/101/EC of 3 November 2003 amending Council Directive 92/109/EEC on the manufacture and placing on the market of certain substances used in the illicit manufacture of narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances (OJ L 286, 4.11.2003, p. 14).

(11)

Commission Regulation (EC) No 1485/96 of 26 July 1996 laying down detailed rules for the application of Council Directive 92/109/EEC, as regards customer declarations of specific use relating to certain substances used in the illicit manufacture of narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances (OJ L 188, 27.7.1996, p. 28). Regulation as amended by Regulation (EC) No 1533/2000 (OJ L 175, 14.7.2000, p. 75).

(12)

Commission Regulation (EC) No 1533/2000 of 13 July 2000 amending Regulation (EC) No 1485/96 laying down detailed rules for the application of Council Directive 92/109/EEC, as regards customer declarations of specific use relating to certain substances used in the illicit manufacture of narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances.