The European Parliament,

–  having regard to the Declaration of Commitment on HIV/AIDS, adopted by the 26th Special Session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGASS) in June 2001, and its forthcoming Comprehensive Review and High-Level Meeting in June 2006,

–  having regard to the Comprehensive Review and the UN General Assembly Political Declaration on HIV/AIDS adopted during the High-Level Meeting of 2 June 2006,

–  having regard to the 2006 follow-up meeting on the outcome of the 26th Special Session: 'Implementation of the Declaration of Commitment on HIV/AIDS', which took place from 31 May to 2 June at the United Nations in New York,

–  having regard to the high-level forum on the health MDGs, held in Abuja in December 2004, and its conclusions,

–  having regard to the Millennium Development Goals and the summit on progress towards the MDGs held in New York in September 2005 and its conclusions,

–  having regard to the Development Policy Statement signed by the Commission, the Council and Parliament in December 2005,

–  having regard to Rule 103(2) of its Rules of Procedure,

A.  recalling the Declaration of Commitment on HIV/AIDS, adopted at an historic special session of the UN General Assembly in 2001, and signed by 189 nations, which recognised, in a rare, unanimous international consensus, that AIDS is among the greatest development crises in human history,

B.  whereas, at the 2005 meeting of the G8 nations and the September 2005 United Nations World Summit, world leaders committed to a massive scale-up of HIV prevention, treatment and care, with the aim of coming as close as possible to the goal of universal access to treatment by 2010 for all who need it,

C.  whereas AIDS has inflicted immense suffering on countries and communities throughout the world, and whereas more than 65 million people have been infected with HIV, more than 25 million people have died, 15 million children have been orphaned by AIDS, with millions more made vulnerable, and 40 million people are currently living with HIV, more than 95 per cent of whom are in developing countries,

D.  whereas, despite the many improvements, the overall action has, as noted in the UN Secretary‑General's Report, been insufficient, with the progress uneven within and between the countries and regions,

E.  whereas, despite the fact that global financing for AIDS has greatly increased in recent years, the funding available is only one third of what will be required to respond to the growing epidemic in a few years,

F.  whereas epidemics continue to expand in certain regions of the world and whereas Africa remains the global epicentre of the AIDS pandemic with an estimated 18.8% of adults living with HIV in 2005, and shows no evidence of a decline,

G.  whereas half of all new HIV infections are among children and young people under the age of 25, and in this regard the lack of paediatric drugs in many countries is significantly hindering efforts to protect the health of children, and a lack of information, skills and knowledge regarding HIV/AIDS is increasing the risk of infection among young people,

H.  whereas women represent half of all people living with HIV, including nearly 60% in Africa and, in this regard, the gender inequalities and all forms of violence against women and girls increase their vulnerability to HIV/AIDS,

I.  whereas HIV/AIDS has not only been a major factor in worsening the general health situation, but also poses one of the most formidable challenges to the development, progress, and stability of the societies concerned and the world at large and requires an exceptional and comprehensive global response,

J.  whereas unlimited access to medication in the context of pandemics such as HIV/AIDS is a fundamental element in gradually achieving the full realisation of the right of everyone to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health,

1.  Notes with satisfaction the reaffirmed commitment of the participants in the High-Level Meeting to implementing fully the Declaration on HIV/AIDS, 'Global Crisis - Global Action', adopted at the 26th Special Session of the General Assembly in 2001, and to achieving a comprehensive, time-bounded target for the delivery of effective HIV prevention, treatment, care and support needed to commence the reversal of the global epidemic by 2015;

2.  Welcomes the fact that considerable progress has been made since the 2001 Special Session in achieving the global target for funding, expanding access to HIV/AIDS prevention, treatment, care and support, mitigating the impact of AIDS and reducing HIV prevalence in a small but growing number of countries; regrets, however, that HIV/AIDS prevention programmes are still failing to reach those at greatest risk, in particular youngsters, children and infants;

3.  Notes with satisfaction that overall leadership and political action has increased significantly, with the UN World Summit, G8 industrialised countries, the European Union, the African Union, the Group of 77 countries, national governments and various other institutions prioritising cooperation on HIV/AIDS prevention, treatment, care and support;

4.  Greets the commitment of the High-Level Meeting to overcoming legal, regulatory or other barriers that block access to effective HIV prevention, treatment, care and support, medicines, commodities and services;

5.  Deeply regrets that most countries have failed to meet the Declaration target of ensuring that 90% of young people had access in 2005 to critical HIV prevention services, including services to develop the life skills needed to reduce vulnerability to HIV;

6.  Insists on the need to address the rising rate of HIV infection among young people in order to ensure an HIV-free future generation through the implementation of comprehensive, evidence-based prevention strategies, responsible sexual behaviour, evidence- and skills-based youth-specific HIV education, mass-media interventions and the provision of youth friendly health services;

7.  Urges the promotion at international, regional, national and local level of access to HIV/AIDS education, information, voluntary counselling, testing and related services, with full protection of confidentiality and informed consent, and the promotion of a social and legal environment that is supportive of and safe for voluntary disclosure of HIV status;

8.  Calls for expansion and diversification of treatment access sites, which are now concentrated largely in urban areas;

9.  Calls for national governments, international organisations and communities to provide adequate care and support for the 15 million children orphaned by AIDS and for millions of other children made vulnerable by the epidemic;

10.  Calls on national governments, international organisations and donor organisations to expand as far as possible the affected countries' capacity to deliver comprehensive HIV/AIDS programmes in ways that strengthen existing national health and social systems;

11.  Calls on national governments, international organisations and donor organisations to address the issue of the shortage of skilled workers in many developing countries, which leads to poor surveillance, planning and administration of the funds available, as well as shortcomings in the implementation of activities;

12.  Calls on the European Union, its Member States and international donors to review ways of significantly increasing funding to combat AIDS and ensuring that the money goes to people in need; calls for innovative approaches to be considered in order to secure long‑term funding to combat AIDS;

13.  Encourages pharmaceutical companies, donors, multilateral organisations and other partners to develop public-private partnerships in support of research and development and technology transfer, and in the comprehensive response to HIV/AIDS; calls for steps to be taken to intensify investment in and efforts towards the research and development of new, safe and affordable HIV/AIDS-related medicines, products and technologies;

14.  Welcomes the decision by the participants in the High-Level Meeting to undertake comprehensive reviews in 2008 and 2011 within the annual review of the General Assembly on the progress achieved in realising the Declaration of Commitment on HIV/AIDS 'Global Crisis – Global Action', adopted at the 26th Special Session and the Political Declaration adopted in June 2006;

15.  Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Council, the Commission, the Heads of Government of the Member States and the Heads of Government of all developing countries.