Portugal has three months to transpose EU drug legislation
Portugal has not notified the Commission about the transposition into domestic legislation of the inclusion of new psychoactive substances in the definition of drugs.
The European Commission on Thursday gave Portugal three months to notify Brussels of the inclusion of new psychoactive substances in the definition of drugs in Portuguese law, failing which it will go to court.
Portugal has not notified the Commission about the transposition into domestic legislation of the inclusion of new psychoactive substances in the definition of drugs, according to the EU Directive (European law) 2017/2103, a process that should have been concluded by 23 November 2018, with the European Commission starting the second phase of the infringement process on Thursday.
If Portugal does not respond within three months, the case may be transferred to the European Union (EU) Court of Justice.
The directive in question is part of the EU legal framework for combating drug trafficking and limiting the supply and consumption of illegal drugs.
The inclusion of new psychoactive substances in the definition of drugs should lead to measures to reduce their availability, protect public health, and deter trafficking in these substances across the EU, according to a press release.
