Source: European Parliament
Question for written answer E-001815/2024
to the Commission
Rule 144
Ioan-Rareş Bogdan (PPE)
Thousands of young people in the European Union have fallen victim to the illicit trade in fentanyl, a synthetic opioid considered to be 50 times stronger than heroin.
The warnings issued by the Commission and US Secretary of State Antony Blinken on the danger of not controlling fentanyl consumption are far from unfounded as tens of thousands of people have died after taking this synthetic opioid with analgesic properties.
Swift and effective measures therefore need to be taken to combat this extremely worrying state of affairs.
In Europe, fentanyl can be purchased on the black market in the form of nasal sprays, drops, lozenges, sweets, powders or solutions for injection, but the substance is often combined with heroin, cocaine or MDMA.
What steps will the Commission take to combat the illicit use of fentanyl and reduce the number of young people falling victim to this synthetic opioid?
Bearing in mind that China is one of the world’s largest producers of fentanyl and of the chemical precursors used to manufacture this opioid, can the Commission clearly state:
are the European Union and China formally cooperating to combat the illicit trafficking of fentanyl, given the serious impact of this drug on public health and safety in Europe?
Submitted: 25.9.2024