Coca 2009: Debate in the European Parliament

ENCOD is organizing an afternoon of debate and reflection in the European Parliament in Brussels. Various Members of the European Parliament, representatives of social organizations and experts from Europe, North and South America will participate in this debate. A definitive programme will be available soon. The event is organized with the intention to gain as much support as possible from Europe for the proposal that the Bolivian government will present in Vienna the following week. For more information, see http://www.encod.org/info/-English-en-.html. History In 1995, ENCOD organized the COCA 95 campaign, with the participation of organizations of coca producers from the Andean region. The aim of this campaign was to inform the European public and political sector on the proposal to depenalise the coca leaf and in this way create legal possibilities to commercialise traditional coca leaf products, in Europe. This proposal would make an end to European support to US policies of forced erradication and crop substitution of coca cultivation in South America, and in stead give economic perspectives to coca growers and limit the supply of coca leaves to the illicit production of cocaine. After almost 15 years the conclusion is not very positive. The coca leaf continues to be classified as a prohibited substance according to the Single Convention on Drugs of 1961. Violent conflicts continue in relation to coca leaf cultivation in producer countries, while the economic situation of coca growers has not improved and the illicit supply of cocaine to consumer countries has not diminished.