Narcotics and psychotropic drugs: substances used in the illicit manufacture of drugs

OBJECTIVE : introduction of a supplementary monitoring system for substances not listed under Directive 92/109/EEC which could be used for the manufacture of drugs. SUBSTANCE : Council Directive 92/109/EEC imposes stringent controls on the manufacture and marketing of 22 substances which may be diverted into the illicit manufacture of narcotic drugs or psychotropic substances. It is becoming increasingly clear that a significant number of other substances, many of them traded legally in large quantities, may be used for the illicit manufacture of synthetic designer drugs. Since it would be unrealistic to apply to all these substances the same controls as those laid down by Directive 92/109/EEC concerning the 22 basic substances, the Commission proposes to establish a more flexible mechanism at Community level whereby the competent authorities in the Member States can be notified of suspicious transactions in these substances. This entails a voluntary system of monitoring based on cooperation between the monitoring authorities of the Member States and the industry and immediate reporting by operators of suspect transactions with regard to these substances. Accordingly, the provisions of Directive 92/109/EEC concerning scheduled substances shall apply mutatis mutandis to non-scheduled substances. The list of non-scheduled substances is regularly updated by the committee responsible in the light of further developments with regard to drugs precursors. �