The EU's Drugs Strategy 2013-2020 and its first Action Plan on Drugs 2013-2016 set out a political framework and priorities for the EU’s drugs policy. The Strategy provides a single, evidence-based framework for tackling drugs inside and outside the EU, and is based on a five pillar structure consisting of:

two main policy areas

the reduction of the drug demand and

the reduction of drug supply;

and three cross-cutting themes:

coordination,

international cooperation and

research, information, monitoring and evaluation.

The Strategy requires the Commission to "initiate an external midterm assessment of the Strategy by 2016, in view of preparing a second Action Plan for the period 2017-2020". The European Agenda on Security provides for the Commission to assess progress in implementing the 2013-2016 Action Plan and decide on that basis whether to propose a new Action Plan for 2017-2020.