The European Pariament,

-  having regard to its previous resolutions on the HIV-AIDS disease,

-  having regard to the United Nations Global Compact signed by business, trade union, human rights and conservation groups in New York on 26 July 2000,

-  having regard to the conclusions of the G-8 Okinawa (Japan) meeting on 22-23 July 2000,

-  having regard to the conclusions of the EU-US Summit in Queluz (Portugal) on 31 May 2000,

-  having regard to the XIIIth International Conference on AIDS and sexually transmitted diseases in Africa in Durban (South Africa) on 9-14 July 2000;

A.  recalling that the UN Security Council in New York on 17 July 2000 adopted the Council's first ever resolution (1308/2000) on a health issue which focussed on the crisis of HIV-AIDS and the impact this has on international peacekeeping operations,

B.  noting continued efforts by UN agencies to work with governments in developing nations, donor countries, and other international organisations including the European Union to further an International Partnership against AIDS in Africa,

C.  whereas HIV-AIDS has reached pandemic proportions in the world's hardest hit regions (as every minute five people die in Africa from the disease) and created over 13.2 million orphans, and whereas at least 50 % of the infected persons are women who are likely to pass HIV on to their babies,

D.  whereas HIV-AIDS is the main cause of death in sub-Saharan Africa; whereas 18.8 million - including 3.8 million children - have died of AIDS worldwide, reversing years of declining death rates with life expectancy in Africa now likely to fall below 45 years by 2015,

E.  whereas the continued rapid spread of HIV-AIDS poses a direct threat to all development efforts by undermining political, social and economic structures across the developing world since HIV-AIDS hits the most active section of the population,

F.  whereas the AIDS crisis has for too long been underestimated by most African governments, with some cultural and religious traditions posing obstacles to the effective implementation of anti-AIDS measures,

G.  whereas concerted national action in Senegal and Uganda has stopped the spread of the epidemic by massive advertising campaigns and the distribution of condoms free of charge, and these actions prove that the appeals and participation of political and religious leaders are strongly needed,

H.  whereas no provisions are foreseen in most developing countries for quality care for terminally ill people,

I.  whereas in some countries HIV-AIDS-related costs will soon absorb over half the health budgets as four million people in sub-Saharan Africa were newly infected with HIV in 1999,

J.  whereas EU Member States should speed up the writing off of debt for developing countries that are increasing investment in public health and education,

K.  whereas pharmaceutical companies must look at ways to reduce prices since nations in developing countries cannot afford the cost of anti-viral drugs available in the industrialised world, and therefore the issue of intellectual property rights should be subject to an urgent review,

L.  warning that the situation can only deteriorate unless the international community invests far more in prevention efforts as well as programmes to address the social and economic consequences of the HIV-AIDS pandemic,

M.  calling for future policies on HIV-AIDS, malaria and tuberculosis to be based on an increase in and better use of funds by fully involving civil society, non-governmental and private sector organisations,

N.  alarmed that one third of the world's population is deprived of access to existing HIV-AIDS treatment, while other diseases which had been considered under control - such as malaria and tuberculosis - are on the increase,

O.  whereas the Commission and EU Member States should work closely together with other developed countries and international bodies like the UN to create an integrated programme and a financial and technical framework to combat the global threat posed by the sharp rise in HIV-AIDS, malaria and tuberculosis cases,

1.  Calls on the Member States and the Commission to give the highest political and financial priority to the fight against the growing pandemic of HIV-AIDS;

2.  Believes that a comprehensive approach to HIV-AIDS is urgently needed in sub-Saharan Africa if the spread of AIDS is to be halted and reversed by 2015;

3.  Recognises and supports the work being done by the United Nations Joint Programme on HIV-AIDS and urges the Commission and EU Member States to cooperate closely with Unaids;

4.  Calls on the different international donors who are active in the fight against AIDS, such as the World Bank, Unicef, UNDP, UNFPA, UNDCP, Unesco, WHO and the EU, to coordinate policies so as to avoid wasting resources and ensure that structural adjustment programmes take the HIV-AIDS pandemic into account;

5.  Calls on the Millennium Summit in New York on 8 September 2000 to agree a renewed initiative to fight HIV-AIDS;

6.  Calls on the World Economic Forum in Melbourne between 11 and 13 September 2000 to build on the United Nations Global Compact and agree funding for the fight against HIV-AIDS;

7.  Believes that the EU AIDS policy must be an integral part of the health and development policies and be consistent with other policies such as family planning, education and health, empowerment of women, employment, alleviation of poverty, and human rights;

8.  Urges the Commission and EU Member States to help developing nations finance the fight against HIV-AIDS - as well as malaria and tuberculosis - by reducing developing countries' debts, since Africa alone pays the world's richest nations annually USD 15 billion in debt repayment whilst the total domestic and international spending on AIDS is just USD 300 million;

9.  Urges the G-8 to consider a debt-for-AIDS programme to compensate efforts by developing countries in their fight against AIDS;

10.  Notes the announcement that the World Bank is establishing a USD 500 million fund to help African governments pay for expanded AIDS programmes but considers that billions would be needed and urges the European Investment Bank and Commission to cooperate with this new initiative;

11.  Calls on the Commission to monitor closely the human trials in Britain of a new AIDS vaccine and to encourage EU research into other potential vaccines against AIDS;

12.  Calls on the pharmaceutical industry to reduce prices drastically and provide certain quantities of drugs free of charge;

13.  Stresses the need for continued research, in particular as regards the development of vaccines, beyond any operational activities in the fight against AIDS;

14.  Stresses the need to create global mechanisms and incentives to stimulate research and development into diseases - such as HIV-AIDS and tuberculosis - that affect developing countries disproportionately;

15.  Calls on the Commission, the WTO and the WHO to support the International AIDS Vaccine Initiative, to investigate ways of making anti-AIDS drugs available at lower prices in the developing countries and to draw on the Council of Europe's experience in licensing drugs;

16.  Stresses that the high price of patented drugs has led to legitimate concerns on the potential impact of the WTO Agreement on Trade Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS) which seeks to enforce global patent protection;

17.  Calls on religious, cultural and political authorities to cooperate fully with the implementation of the prevention programmes and to take part constructively in AIDS prevention actions, including education and information programmes;

18.  Notes that HIV-AIDS is causing dramatic shifts in demographics and contributing to increased migration as the economies in developing countries collapse with the reduced cultivation of cash crops and food products; calls on the European Union to encourage regional cooperation so that migrant populations have access to basic health and education services;

19.  Urges the Commission and EU Member States to ensure that developing governments put in place comprehensive national AIDS programmes over the next five years and strengthen legislation which protects against HIV-related discrimination;

20.  Considers that EU funds must be spent on improving primary health care and public education in order to fight not only HIV-AIDS but also other diseases like malaria and tuberculosis;

21.  Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Commission, the Council, the UN Secretary-General, the Member States of the Lomé Convention, the World Health Organisation, the World Trade Organisation, the UNDP, Unicef, UNFPA, UNDCP, Unesco, the World Bank, the OECD, the Council of Europe, the European Investment Bank and the World Economic Forum.