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 Georgs Andrejevs
on behalf of the ALDE Group
on HIV/AIDS: Early diagnosis and early care

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

B6‑0583/2008

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,

–   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,

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

–   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',

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

–   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 '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 mid-year report 2005 shows that 215 510 people were newly infected with HIV over the period 1998-2005 within the European Union and 646 142 people were newly infected with HIV in the European Region of the World Health Organisation (WHO),

B.   whereas, according to EuroHIV, almost one-quarter of all new HIV infections affect young people under the age of 25,

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 continued in 2005, with fewer than half as many cases diagnosed in 2005 as in1998,

E.  whereas a large proportion of HIV infections remain undiagnosed, and 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 gonorrhoea, chlamydia, herpes and syphilis),

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

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

I.   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,

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

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

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

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

• -promote early diagnosis and a reduction of perceived 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 (ECDC), including more precise estimates (size, characteristics, etc.) of the undiagnosed population;

3.   Urges the Commission to commit substantial political, financial and human resources to facilitate the implementation of this strategy;

4.   Encourages the Member States to formulate Council recommendations on the implementation of evidence-based testing and treatment guidelines for each PlaceNameplaceMemberPlaceType State;

5.   Calls on the Commission and the PlaceNameMemberPlaceType States to ensure that future programmes monitoring progress in the fight against HIV/AIDS in placeEurope incorporate appropriate indicators that also address and measure human rights standards in its context;

6.   Calls on the Member States to enact provisions which effectively outlaw discrimination against people living with HIV/AIDS, including restrictions on their freedom of movement, within their jurisdictions;

7.   Strongly encourages the Member States to step up information and education campaigns on the prevention, testing and treatment of HIV/AIDS;

8.   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.