Subjecting N-(1-phenethylpiperidin-4-yl)-N-phenylacrylamide (acryloylfentanyl) to control measures

The Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs adopted the report by Brice HORTEFEUX (EPP, FR) on the draft Council implementing decision on subjecting N-(1-phenethylpiperidin-4-yl)-N-phenylacrylamide (acryloylfentanyl) to control measures.

The committee recommended that Parliament approve the Council’s draft.

As pointed out in the explanatory memorandum, the risk assessment report jointly drawn up by the European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction (EMCDDA) and Europol, which was published on 17 November 2016, concludes that this psychoactive substance is a synthetic opioid structurally similar to fentanyl, a controlled substance widely used in medicine as an adjunct to general anaesthesia during surgery and for pain management.

The bulk of production takes place in China.

47 deaths associated with the substance have been reported by three Member States, together with 20 acute intoxications apparently due to acryloylfentanyl.

Accordingly, in view of the toxic and hazardous nature of the substance, which represents a health and social risk, it is recommended that the draft Council implementing decision be approved.