Motion for a resolution - B6-0584/2008Motion for a resolution
B6-0584/2008

MOTION FOR A RESOLUTION

12.11.2008

to wind up the debate on statements by the Council and Commission
pursuant to Rule 103(2) of the Rules of Procedure
by Satu Hassi and Kathalijne Maria Buitenweg
on behalf of the Verts/ALE Group
on HIV/AIDS: early diagnosis and early care

See also joint motion for a resolution RC-B6-0581/2008

Procedure : 2008/2667(RSP)
Document stages in plenary
Document selected :  
B6-0584/2008
Texts tabled :
B6-0584/2008
Texts adopted :

B6‑0584/2008

European Parliament resolution on HIV/AIDS: early diagnosis and early care

The European Parliament,

–   having regard to its resolution of 24 April 2007 on combating HIV/AIDS within the European Union and in the neighbouring countries, 2006-2009[1],

–   having regard to the Bremen Declaration of 13 March 2007 on 'Responsibility and Partnership – Together against HIV/AIDS',

–   having regard to its resolution of 6 July 2006 on HIV/AIDS: time to deliver[2],

–   having regard to its resolution of 30 November 2006 on AIDS[3],

–   having regard to the Council conclusions of 6 June 2005 on combating HIV/AIDS,

–   having regard to the Commission communication to the Council and the European Parliament on 'Combating HIV/AIDS within the European Union and in the neighbouring countries, 2006-2009'[4],

–   having regard to the 'Dublin Declaration' on partnership to fight HIV/AIDS in Europe and Central Asia, adopted at the Ministerial Conference 'Breaking the Barriers – Partnership to fight HIV/AIDS in Europe and Central Asia' held within the framework of the Irish EU Presidency on 23-24 February 2004,

–   having regard to the UNAIDS/WHO Europe report entitled 'Progress on implementing the Dublin Declaration on Partnership to Fight HIV/AIDS in Europe and placeCentral Asia' of 2008,

–   having regard to the 'Vilnius Declaration' on measures to strengthen the response to HIV/AIDS in the European Union and in the neighbouring countries, adopted by Ministers and representatives of governments from the European Union and neighbouring countries at the conference 'Europe and HIV/AIDS – New Challenges, New Opportunities' conference, held in Vilnius, Lithuania, on 16-17 September 2004,

–   having regard to the WHO's 2006 HIV/AIDS programme 'Towards universal access by 2010',

–   having regard to the Eurobarometer on AIDS prevention of February 2006,

–   having regard to the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities,

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

A.   whereas EuroHIV's end-year report 2006 shows that 269 152 people were newly infected with HIV in 1999-2006 within the European Union and 806 258 people were newly infected with HIV in the European Region of the World Health Organisation (WHO),

B.  whereas in the European Union 11% of all new HIV infections affect young people under the age of 25, according to the EuroHIV end-year report 2006,

C.  whereas the reports from EuroHIV and UNAIDS confirm that the number of new HIV infections is still rising at an alarming rate within the European Union as well as in the neighbouring countries, and that in some countries the estimated number of people infected with HIV is almost three times higher than the official number,

D.   whereas, despite the increased number of HIV infections, the steady decrease in the number of AIDS cases diagnosed in recent years has continued in 2006, with 40% fewer cases diagnosed in 2006 in comparison to 1999 in the EU, according to the EuroHIV end-year report 2006,

E.  whereas a large proportion of HIV infections remain undiagnosed; whereas many people do not know whether they are infected or not, and are likely to discover it only once afflicted by HIV/AIDS-related illnesses,

F.  whereas the infectivity of HIV increases significantly in the presence of other sexually transmitted diseases (such as gonorrhea, chlamydia, herpes and syphilis),

G.  whereas HIV infection is spread mostly through heterosexual contacts, and the female condom is still underutilised, even though it is the single women-controlled device protecting women against unwanted pregnancy, HIV and other sexually transmitted infections which is already available;

H.  whereas the epidemic among intravenous drug users is one of the reasons for the rapid spread of HIV infection in many Eastern European countries,

placeI.  whereas HIV/AIDS is a communicable disease, and there is therefore a risk of contagion from undetected infected persons,

J.  whereas the findings of UNAIDS and WHO Europe measuring 'Progress on implementing the Dublin Declaration on Partnership to Fight HIV/AIDS in Europe and Central Asia' show that few of the 53 countries in the European region have adopted an approach to stigma, discrimination and human rights that complies with their Dublin declaration commitments,

K.  whereas full protection of human rights is essential to every aspect of the response to HIV,

L.  whereas there is a critical need for cross-border cooperation to address the epidemic,

M.  whereas the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities makes clear that the barriers which hinder persons with impairments participating in society on an equal basis can be attitudinal as well as environmental,

1.  Calls on the Council and the Commission to formulate a strategy on HIV to:

  • promote early diagnosis and reduction of barriers to testing;
  • ensure early care and communication of the benefits of earlier care;

2.  Calls on the Commission to ensure accurate monitoring and surveillance by the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control, including more precise estimates (size, characteristics, etc.) of the undiagnosed population;

3.  Calls on the Commission to commit political, financial and human resources to support the implementation of such a strategy;

4.  Calls on the Council to instruct the Commission to prepare Council recommendations on the implementation of evidence-based testing and treatment guidelines in each PlaceNameplaceMemberPlaceType State;

5.  Calls on the Council to instruct the Commission to ensure that future monitoring of progress in the fight against HIV/AIDS in Europe and neighbouring countries should incorporate indicators that directly address and measure human rights issues in HIV/AIDS;

6.  Calls on the Council and the Commission to ensure that practices causing stigmatisation of and discrimination against people living with HIV/AIDS are effectively outlawed throughout the Member States;

7.  Calls on the Member States to lift all travel restrictions for people living with HIV/AIDS and invites the Member States to provide for discrimination against people living with HIV/AIDS to be effectively outlawed within their jurisdictions;

8.   Calls on the Member States to step up pragmatic and non-moralising information and education campaigns on the prevention, testing and treatment of HIV/AIDS and urges the Member States to provide for specific programmes as regards information campaigns for women;

9.  Strongly encourages the Commission and the PlaceNameplaceMemberPlaceType States to invest in the development of the second-generation female condom, and to develop programmes to improve the public image of the female condom and make it more widely available, including for young people;

10.  Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Council, the Commission, the PlaceNameplaceMemberPlaceType States, the UN Secretary-General, UNAIDS, the World Health Organisation and the governments of the Member States.