EXASS Net is a European network of partnerships between stakeholders at frontline level responding to drug problems providing experience and assistance for inter-sectoral cooperation. Initiated in 2006 by the EU Finnish presidency, this network is carried out by the Pompidou Group, Council of Europe. EXASS Net gathers the cities of Amsterdam (NL), Budapest (HU), Frankfurt (GE), Krakow (PL), the Lancashire (UK), Oslo (NO), Turku (FI), Zagreb (HR) as well as the Russian Federation, the Romanian Anti-drug agency, the Finnish Health Ministry, The UK Home Office, the networks Correlation network and Democracy, Cities & Drugs.
EXASS Net organises two plenary meetings a year in different cities during which participants share practices on a specific topic and visit local drug services. In June 2009 in Budapest, the EXASS Net members worked on Safer Nightlife.
> Read the background document on Safer Nightlife in Europe
The Amsterdam meeting in October 2009 focused on self-organised drug users' groups, drugs users' empowerment and Dutch cannabis policy.
> Read the background document on Drug user participation and EU cities
The Oslo meeting in June 2010 focused on Early intervention targeting youth at risk.
> Read the background document on Early intervention targeting youth at risk and EU cities
I was involved as consultant during the first 3-year phase of the project to be part of the EXASS Net steering committees, to co-animate the EXASS Net seminars and to write out background documents and Internet guides.