WRITTEN QUESTION E-0224/03

by Guido Podestà (PPE-DE) to the Council

(3 February 2003)

Subject: AIDS in Eastern Europe

At the end of 2001 one million adults and children in Eastern Europe had been diagnosed with AIDS. This area, along with Central Asia, has the highest growth rate in the world. In one year alone, the rate of infection in the region rose by 42 % and shows no sign of slowing down. A number of factors are contributing to this scenario: a growing but unstable economy, with a high rate of unemployment, the liberalisation of social and cultural norms and inadequate public health services.

These factors are creating a series of problems which are playing a major role in the growth of the epidemic:

- The number of young people leaving school is very high. The lack of jobs is increasing the risk of young people joining vulnerable groups, such as drug addicts, or turning to prostitution.

- Trafficking in human beings and the sex trade have increased since the fall of the Berlin Wall, as has drug use among young people.

- Lack of information about sexuality and reproductive health is leading to a total unawareness of the risk of infection: sex education programmes are required to inform the public about sexually transmitted diseases and AIDS. In addition,

the political authorities should be urged to take steps to remove discrimination against people infected with the virus, by incorporating AIDS prevention programmes into their sexuality and reproductive health programmes.

The national governments of this region often lack the financial resources and expertise required to introduce prevention programmes. A great deal of assistance is required in this context.

How does the Council intend to coordinate the Member States' AIDS prevention initiatives?

Reply

(13 May 2003)

The Council shares the Honourable Member's concerns about the spread of Aids in Eastern Europe.

It is indeed the task of the European Union, the Community and its Member States to promote coordination, consistency and complementarity between all aspects of their initiatives to combat Aids in East European countries.

A programme of Community action on the prevention of AIDS within the framework for action in the field of public health (1996-2000)(1), which provided for the participation of the associated countries of Central and Eastern Europe and was extended until the end of 2002, has expired.

The programme, like other health sector programmes, has been incorporated in the programme of Community action in the field of public health (2003-2008)(2) which sets out three major objectives:

- to improve information and knowledge for the development of public health;

- to enhance the capability of responding rapidly and in a coordinated fashion to threats to health;

- to promote health and prevent disease through addressing health determinants across all policies and activities.

This programme is also open to the participation of the associated countries of Central and Eastern Europe.

The Greek Presidency has proposed that targeted support for the public health sector (with particular reference to combatting communicable diseases) could be a priority for the first half of 2003.

The Council, the Commission and the Member States, according to their respective competence and capacity, and within the limits of the budgetary means at their disposal, are committed to supporting the Presidency's initiative.

(1) OJ L 95, 16.4.1996, p. 16.

(2) OJ L 271, 9.10.2002, p. 1.