COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES 
C0MC89) 540 final 
Brussels, 9 November 1989 
Communication from the Commission to the Council 
on the improvement of the general system for collecting 
epidemiological data on HIV infection in the 
European Community 
Z - ?< Ce* ->'**s 
COMMUNICATION OF THE COMMISSION 
TO THE COUNCIL ON THE IMPROVEMENT OF THE 
GENERAL SYSTEM FOR COLLECTING EPIDEMIOLOGICAL 
DATA ON HIV INFECTION IN THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITY 
The Council and Ministers for Health of the Member States 
meeting within the Council of 16 May 1989 asked in its 
conclusions the Commission, in cooperation with the European 
Centre on AIDS Prevention and Control (WHO collaborating centre 
in Paris), " to propose to the Council the measures and methods 
necessary to: 
improve both the comparability of data on AIDS cases 
and, where appropriate, the system for recording AIDS 
morbidity and death rates at national and Community level, 
exchange data available in the Member States on HIV 
infection, while respecting in full the confidentiality of such 
data" (1) 
In addition to the Community data base on AIDS cases which 
provides valuable information, the Commission considers that, 
on the basis of the above Council conclusions, an improvement 
in the collection of epidemiological data on HIV infection 
(sero-epidemiological) is a priority providing a common data 
base for the further development of epidemiological and 
scientific research as well as preventive actions in the 
Community. 
The European Centre on AIDS Prevention and Control, in 
collaboration with the Commission, is developing a procedure to 
facilitate this exchange of data based on the transmission of 
available studies in a standardized format (annex). This 
procedure allows the setting up of a Community data base will 
be available by 1990. The working format of the data base 
contains at present 627 studies, of which 447 come from the 
(1) O.J. C 125, P.7, 22.07.89 
Member States. It ensures absolute confidentiality of 
individual data, as such data are not contained in the data 
base itself. 
The collation and analysis of such data,from the scientific and 
public health points of view, for the development of 
appropriate methodologies together with relevant concerted 
actions, require significant additional efforts, in particular 
from the European Centre on AIDS Prevention and Control. 
On the basis of the above, the Commission considers that the 
Council should: 
consider the approach proposed in the annex for the 
transmission to the European Center on AIDS Prevention and 
Control of available epidemiological data on HIV infection in 
the Community; 
encourage systematic and coordinated epidemiological 
studies on HIV infection at Community level; 
consider the need for the Community to provide 
adequate support for these additional tasks. 
ANNEX 
M:V SEROPREVAJLENCE STUDIES 
In order to enaure that the maximum of informat: ion, in an ae comparable form 
•JI poaaible, ia provided on the varioua HIV aeroprevalence ntudiea carried out 
in Member Statee, the following Information ia rcqueated for the eatabliahment 
nt the data baae : 
- country; 
- date of atudy; 
- croup tested; 
- geographic aite and extent of atudy; 
- age group and eex; 
- atudy method; 
- reeuits (number ponltivo, number teated); 
* - commenta on atudy; 
- inatitution conducting atudy; 
- if publiahed, reference and abstract; 
*- peraon or inatitution submitting the information. 
- -r _ 
ISSN 0254-1475 
COM(89) 540 final 
DOCUMENTS 
EN 05 16 
Catalogue number : CB-CO-89-506-EN-C 
ISBN 92-77-54454-6 
Office for Official Publications of the European Communitfes 
L-2985 Luxembourg