Treaty and Legal Affairs

A functioning legal system plays a fundamental role in all drug control efforts. It defines what is lawful and what is not under regulatory and penal laws. It creates, limits, or takes away rights or privileges. It confers powers and responsibilities and provides safeguards. Such a system also imposes obligations and provides civil and penal sanctions if laws are violated, as well as establishing the institutions and legal framework for them to function.

International drug control treaties provide the legal foundation for action against drug-related offences. Many countries still lack adequate legal frameworks, which undermines both domestic and international drug control efforts. In addition, global developments in drug abuse and trafficking are dramatically increasing the legislative needs of States. UNODC's Office of Treaty and Legal Affairs works with Member States to implement UN Treaties and Resolutions, advises States on the drafting and adoption of drug control legislation and assists governments in ratifying the international drug control conventions.

Status map for Conventions relevant to the work of UNODC (provided by LegaCarta - the International Trade Centre's (ITC) database): English - French - Spanish

Legal Advisory Programme

UNODC's Legal Advisory Programme promotes adoption and practical implementation of these conventions. It addresses the needs of States that have outdated drug control legislation, are most vulnerable to criminal activity, or lack success in major prosecution and asset forfeiture casework.

The Programme advises States on the drafting, adoption and application of all necessary legislation. It also strengthens the skills of justice and health-system professionals in those States that have already adopted legislation, ensuring that they have sufficient technical understanding to apply new laws. More than 140 UN Member States have received legal assistance.

Legislation/Legal Library 

UNODC's on-line legal library makes available the full text of laws and regulations promulgated by States to give effect to the three main international drug control treaties. Under the treaty conventions, States have an obligation to communicate their drug control legislation to the United Nations. Most States communicate such legislation to UNODC on a voluntary basis. Legislation adopted since 1948 has been included on-line.

Money Laundering

Organized criminals generate huge sums of money through drug trafficking, arms smuggling and financial crime. They are increasingly able to disguise illegal profits by taking advantage of the globalization of the world economy to transfer funds quickly across borders, particularly to those countries where controls are weak or non-existent.

The Global Programme Against Money Laundering (GPML) provides training to business, law enforcement and judicial professionals, assists in building stronger legal and institutional frameworks and fosters awareness of international anti-money laundering standards.

Questionnaire under Draft resolution I of the Commission on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice - "United Nations standards and norms related primarily to the prevention of crime".

In accordance with Draft resolution I of the Commission on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice recommended (at its 15 ^th session - 24-28 April 2006) for adoption to the Economic and Social Council, the Secretary-General is seeking information from relevant intergovernmental and non-governmental organizations, within the mandate of the Commission on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice, and from the institutes of the United Nations Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice Programme network and other relevant United Nations entities, with respect to their capacity to provide technical assistance in relation to areas outlined in the information-gathering instrument.

Member States and other relevant entities are requested to inform the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime of existing centres and focal points in the area of crime prevention, if applicable, in order to facilitate networking and cooperation, also keeping in mind the invitation to that end contained in the annex to Economic and Social Council resolution 2003/30.

Based on the responses received, the Secretary-General will report to the Commission on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice at its sixteenth session on the use and application of the United Nations standards and norms primarily related to crime prevention, in particular as regards the following:(a) The difficulties encountered in the application of United Nations standards and norms related primarily to crime prevention; (b) Ways in which technical assistance can be provided to overcome those difficulties;(c) Useful practices in addressing existing and emerging challenges in this field;(d) Suggestions from Member States of ways to further improve the existing standards and norms.

Replies should please be forwarded, no later than 16 October 2006, in electronic and/or paper form to the Legal Advisory Section, United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, P.O. Box 500, A-1400 Vienna, Austria, fax: +43-1-26060 5866. Electronic replies can be submitted via e-mail to legal@unodc.org