MOTION FOR A RESOLUTION

22.11.2006

to wind up the debate on the statement by the Commission
pursuant to Rule 103(2) of the Rules of Procedure
by Eoin Ryan
on behalf of the UEN Group
on World AIDS Day 2006

B6‑0621/2006

European Parliament resolution on World AIDS Day 2006

The European Parliament,

–  having regard to the International Day of Action on HIV and AIDS, and its theme of accountability, on 1 December 2006,

–  having regard to its resolution of 6 July 2006 on 'AIDS: Time to Deliver',

–  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 Comprehensive Review and High-Level Meeting in June 2006,

-  having regard to the Dublin Declaration of 24 February 2004 on partnership to combat HIV/AIDS in Europe and Central Asia,

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

A.  whereas AIDS is among the greatest development crises in human history, and around 40 million people are living with HIV throughout the world,

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 this infection, despite the efforts to fight the disease, is spreading at worrying rates in the world: in China by 30%, in Africa and Sub-Saharan Africa by 65%, and in Central Asia and Eastern Europe by 50%,

D.  whereas existing AIDS prevention programmes in developing counties largely fail to cater for the disabled, who run a higher risk of rape and have less prospect of police protection, legal safety nets or health care,

E.  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% of whom are in developing countries,

F.  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,

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, gender inequalities and all forms of violence against women and girls increase their vulnerability to HIV/AIDS,

I.  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,

J.  whereas, as stressed by the WHO, developing countries are failing to make use of flexibilities built into the WTO's Agreement on Trade Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS) to overcome patent barriers and, in turn, allow them to acquire the medicines they need for high-priority disease, in particular HIV/AIDS,

1.  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;

2.  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;

3.  Calls for the Commission AIDS programmes in the Third World to take account of the specific needs of the disabled;

4.   Calls for a special effort to ensure appropriate medical help and appropriate treatment and social care for HIV-positive children; 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;

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

6.  Urges the European Union to act at international level to promote the common goal of reducing the price of anti-AIDS medicines in developing countries and to profit by the waiver within the TRIPS agreement which allows the granting of compulsory licences to enable generic production of medicines;

7.  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;

8.  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.