The agreement was signed by Deputy Minister of Justice, Tornike Cheishvili and Director of the European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction (EMCDDA), Alexis Goosdeel. The agreement is a clear example of sectoral cooperation with EU agencies and will contribute to the process of Georgia's integration with the EU.

The cooperation agreement aims to deepen cooperation, strengthen the capabilities of the National Drug Monitoring Centre and support the data collection system. In addition, the agreement envisions the sharing of experience on drug-related health and social harm response mechanisms, drug abuse prevention and drug addiction treatment, as well as support prevention of related diseases and harm reduction.

The sharing of experience on new psychoactive substances and the creation and strengthening of the drug-related early warning system are additional key areas of cooperation between the parties.

The close sectoral cooperation between the EMCDDA and Georgia has been ongoing for years and the European agency makes a significant contribution to the promotion and development of a humane and evidence-based drug policy in the country.

The Georgian National Drug Observatory was established in January 2020 based on the order of the Minister of Justice, and it is analogous to the EMCDDA at the national level, which serves to promote the study, assessment and evidence analysis of the drug situation in the country.

The EMCDDA delegation will leave Georgia on September 15.