In European legislation is nothing that blocks the production of soft drugs

’You can keep your crown jewels’

THE HAGUE- Eurocommissioner Frattini is in the Netherlands and gives his opinion about Dutch soft drugs policy. ’Stories as if I have come with proposals that avoid the Member States’ right to veto, are really nonsense’

Frattini prefers to keep silent about Dutch soft drugs policy. Especially if he visits Dutch Justice Minister Donner, who, as a Christian Democrat, would most like to get rid of all drugs from the world, toi start with from the Netherlands. But OK, if he is questioned about it, he gives clarity: ’Formally there is nothing in European legislation that blocks the production of soft drugs to provide the coffeeshops’-

During 4 hours of conversations with members of parliament and ministers, the Commissioner had to repeat his answer on the crucial question: is it allowed for a EU-Member State to allow the production of marijuana and weed?

A majority of the Dutch parliament hopes for a clear ’yes’ to end the current hypocrisy that the sale of soft drugs in coffeeshops is tolerated, but production is prohibited.

’The European framework decision of 2004 can be interpreted in various ways’, says Frattini. ’It does not say that legalisation of production is impossible. But at the moment, I can not take a position. That would be seen as interferance with national matters and I know how sensitive the issue is in the Netherlands, so I wait for a proposal of Dutch authorities, and see afterwards.’

’The Netherlands have four crown jewels: the policy on euthanasia, the coffeeshops, the legailsation on abortion and legal prostitution. I promise you: you can keep your crown jewels, we don’t want them at all.’