These guidelines provide the rationale, steps, procedures, roles, and responsibilities for the operation of the EU Early Warning System. They reflect the requirements of Regulation (EC) No 1920/2006 (as amended) and Council Framework Decision 2004/757/JHA (as amended) with respect to information exchange and the early warning system, as well as for the initial report, risk assessment, and control measures.

These guidelines are accompanied by Guidance notes, see the full list.

Table of contents

◦Acknowledgements and feedback

◦Abbreviations and Notes  

◦Section 1. Purpose of these Guidelines     ◦1.1 Purpose  

◦1.2 What substances are included within the scope of the Early Warning System?  

◦1.3 Early detection, reporting, assessment, and response  

◦Section 2. Responding to new psychoactive substances in Europe     ◦2.1 A history of the EU response  

◦2.2 Global markets, glocal threats: the case for strengthened early warning, preparedness, and response  

◦Section 3. Scope of the legislation and steps     ◦3.1 Scope of the legislation and definition of a new psychoactive substance  

◦3.2 The three steps: early warning, risk assessment, and control measures  

◦Section 4. EU Early Warning System     ◦4.1 Legal basis and scope  

◦4.2 Information collection and reporting by the Member States  

◦4.3 Information sources at Member State level  

◦4.4 Health threats related to existing psychoactive substances  

◦4.5 Communication within the Network  

◦4.6 Reitox NFP Early Warning System Correspondents  

◦4.7 Data protection  

◦4.8 Classified information  

◦4.9 Retraction of information  

◦4.10 EMCDDA Systems  

◦4.11 Outputs of the Early Warning System  

◦Section 5. Initial report     ◦5.1 Background  

◦5.2 Assessment of existing information  

◦5.3 Collection of additional information  

◦5.4 Production and structure of the initial report  

◦5.5 Submission of the initial report