EU Council Agrees Position on Drug-Precursor Trade Controls

The EU Council agreed its negotiating position on a proposed regulation combining internal-market and external-trade controls on drug precursors. The proposal would effectively ban trade, use and possession of designer precursors apart from narrowly specified uses, introduce a digital import system, and require non-EU suppliers to appoint an EU representative responsible for licensing and compliance. The mandate enables negotiations with the European Parliament; these proposed requirements are not yet final law.