EN Official Journal of the European Union CE 84/213

(2004/C 84 E/0257)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0225/03

by Guido Podestà (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(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 Commission intend to develop specific policies to give greater importance to AIDS prevention in the countries of Eastern Europe?

What measures does the Commission intend to adopt to help national governments in this region to launch programmes to prevent and fight AIDS?

Answer given by Mr Patten on behalf of the Commission

(11 March 2003)

The Commission's concern has been highlighted in a number of policy documents, notably the 2002-2006 Country Strategy papers. The Tacis Indicative programmes for 2002-2003 and 2004-2006 identify measures the Commission intends to undertake to assist the partner governments to prevent and fight HIV/AIDS.

Prevention and control of HIV/AIDS is a particularly high priority in our cooperation with Ukraine and Russia, including Kaliningrad. In Ukraine, a joint Union-United States HIV/AID S prevention and awareness programme has been under implementation since December 2000 and will be followed up in 2003 by a new project in HIV/AIDS prevention among youth. In Russia, a new HIV/AIDS prevention and combating project will be financed from the 2002 Tacis national programme. It will support a comprehensive public awareness and information campaign targeted at the population at large, with specific attention paid to so-called ‘bridge population’ which contributes to the spread of HIV/AIDS from the risk groups to the general population. In addition, a separate HIV/AIDS and Tuberculosis prevention project is being launched in Kaliningrad. In the other countries of the region, health and social sector projects normally comprise components addressing HIV/AIDS. Because of the magnitude of the HIV/AIDS problem, the Commission projects are closely coordinated with the activities of other donors, in particular the United Nations Global Fund to Fight AIDS and World Bank financed AIDS programmes. In addition to these large-scale projects, the Commission co-finances smaller projects in the health and social sectors, implemented by European and local non-governmental organisations.