The basis for precursor control is to be found in the United Nations Convention against Illicit Traffic in Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances adopted in Vienna on 19 December 1988.
UN Convention
Article 12 of the Convention specifically covers ‘substances frequently used in the illicit manufacture of narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances’ and requires that countries implement measures to control and monitor the legitimate trade in drug precursors as an essential way to prevent their diversion.
EU legislation
EU legislation implements this convention through:
- Regulation (EC) No 111/2005 on trade in drug precursors between EU and third countries, amended by Regulation (EU) No 1259/2013 . See the consolidated version .
- Regulation (EC) No 273/2004, on trade in drug precursors within the EU, amended by Regulation (EU) No 1258/2013. See the consolidated version.
The main features of relevance to the operators are summarised in the table of guidelines.
The rules for the implementation of the above-mentioned Regulations are contained in:
- Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) No 2015/1011 repealing Commission Regulation (EC) No 1277/2005
- Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) No 2015/1013 and
- Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) No 2016/1443 amending Regulations (EC) No 273/2004 and 111/2005; for further information see the information note.
- Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2020/1737 of 14 July 2020 amending Regulation (EC) No 273/2004 of the European Parliament and of the Council and Council Regulation (EC) No 111/2005 as regards the inclusion of certain drug precursors in the list of scheduled substances.
On 30 November 2020 the European Commission adopted Report COM (2020) 768 final on the evaluation of the EU drug precursors regulations: