The Co-operation Group to Combat Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking in Drugs (Pompidou Group) is an inter-governmental body formed in 1971 at the initiative of the late French President Georges Pompidou. The Group’s core mission is to contribute to the development of effective and evidence-based drug policies in its member states.
This year, the Pompidou Group celebrates its 50th anniversary. It grew from 7 founding states to 41 members today, including 3 non-European countries. Under the motto “Human rights at the heart of drug policies“, the Anniversary will be celebrated throughout the year, in a series of events taking place in Europe and beyond.
The Portuguese Presidency of the Group issued a statement highlighting the main features of the Anniversary programme. The organisation’s President João Castel-Branco Goulão emphasized that “The most important feature of the Anniversary is the expected adoption of a revised statute by the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe. By strenghtening the identity of the Pompidou Group as a Council of Europe entity, including a strong focus on human rights, extending its mandate beyond the field of illicit drugs, fostering synergies with other international organisations and Council of Europe bodies, the new statute will give a fresh political impetus and open new legal avenues to the Pompidou Group.”
A commemorative event will be held at the Centre Pompidou in Paris on 28 October 2021. The commemoration will provide an opportunity to highlight the main achievements as well as contributions of some eminent personalities in the history of the Pompidou Group. A travelling exhibition and a publication on the history of the Pompidou Group will also be produced and presented during the events organized as part of the 50th anniversary celebrations.
To read more about the celebration and see the full list of events, please visit the webpage dedicated to the 50th anniversary>>>.