The Commission sets out recommendations on drug policy for UN member states, steers the programs of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), and decides about the control and classification for narcotic drugs, psychotropic substances and precursors.

At this session, the Swiss delegation is committing to ensure that the recommendations issued by the special session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGASS) in April 2016 be duly taken into account. This text contains considerable improvements in the sense of a world drug policy that focusses on the human being, his health and his rights.

As a member of the CND, Switzerland is presenting a resolution promoting the full implementation of the online platform I2ES (International Import Export Authorization System). The I2ES system allows states to issue import and export authorizations for the legal trade in narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances, to electronically exchange this information between trading countries in real time, and to rapidly verify the legitimacy of a given transaction in relation to international drug control conventions. This enables the global trade in controlled substances to be monitored more effectively and helps to prevent their diversion.

Switzerland is also co-organizing a number of side events on themes such as the social perception of narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances use, the abolition of capital punishment for drug-related crimes, and improving statistical indicators on health and human rights. In addition, the Swiss delegation is conducting several bilateral meetings and technical discussions.

Switzerland served as a member of the CND for a number of terms (1961-75, 1988-95, 1997-2001 and 2004-11) and has always been actively involved in the Commission’s work and discussions. With its re-election to the CND, Switzerland is continuing its efforts to promote a drug policy that focusses on health and human rights. Switzerland’s strategic four-pillar approach (prevention, therapy, harm reduction and repression) and its successive development towards a national strategy on addictions is internationally recognized and followed with interest.

Switzerland participates in the work of the UN Commission on Narcotic Drugs