WRITTEN QUESTION E-3099/02 by Alexandros Alavanos (GUE/NGL) to the Commission. Genocide by AIDS in poor countries as a result of President Bush's insistence on American condoms.
Date: 2002-10-28
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: AIDS, EU aid, aid system, contraception, cooperation policy, developing countries, disease prevention, health aid, mortality

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Official Journal of the European Union

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9.10.2003

cooperation, in order to demonstrate its commitment to consolidating relations between the two sides’.
Parliament had made a similar demand in an earlier resolution, adopted on 16 December 1992 (2) at the
time of the transfer of the territory of Macao from Portuguese administration to the People’s Republic of
China, with the status of a Special Administrative Region.

In the course of the debate in Parliament, Commissioner Nielson mentioned the difficulties surrounding the
process of appointing this Community officer, but nonetheless stated:
‘We continue to consider the
appointment of the technical cooperation officer very important’.

in reply to Written Question P-1961/01 (3) by the author of the present question,
On 19 July 2001,
Commissioner Patten, having evoked those same difficulties affecting the appointment process, declared:
‘The Commission has been preparing the required multiannual cooperation programming for Macau,
including the Cooperation Officer appointment. In this context, the Commission is pleased to be able to
report that this programming is now in its final stages and the question of the Cooperation Officer will be
resolved shortly’.

Recent information, however, suggests that no such officer has yet been appointed (it should be stressed
that what is called for is the appointment and establishment, for Macau, of an officer having specific
responsibility for EC-Macau cooperation, and not for Hong Kong and Macau together).

Can the Commission state whether such an officer, with specific responsibility for EC-Macao cooperation,
has been appointed and has started work? If this is not the case, can the Commission explain why and
provide information on the state of the procedure? If such an officer has been appointed, can the
Commission state the nature of the main lessons and conclusions to be drawn from that officer’s first year
in the post?

(1) OJ C 276, 1.10.2001, p. 268.
(2) OJ C 296, 18.10.2000, p. 190.
(3) OJ C 364, 20.12.2001, p. 232.

Answer given by Mr Patten on behalf of the Commission

(29 November 2002)

Since cooperation projects with Macao (European studies, Tourism, Offshore services) which were started
in 1997-1998 came to an end in 2001, and the current Community cooperation portfolio for Macao
includes just one single project (on legal cooperation, just about to start), it has not been possible for the
Commission to proceed with the recruitment of a cooperation officer for Macao.

The Commission remains nevertheless committed, as it has been stressed at the ninth meeting of the
Community-Macao Joint Committee held in Brussels on 18 October 2002, to maintain close relations with
Macao. To this end, it is presently exploring ways and means to further develop with the Macao Special
Administrative Region cooperation activities within the existing budgetary instruments.

(2003/C 242 E/042)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3099/02

by Alexandros Alavanos (GUE/NGL) to the Commission

(28 October 2002)

Subject: Genocide by AIDS in poor countries as a result of President Bush’s insistence on American

condoms

Population Action International, an independent research group, has drawn attention to the sharp rise in
AIDS victims in poor developing countries and in eastern Europe and concludes that the spread of the
disease is in part due to a great shortage of condoms. According to PAI’s report, the needs of these
countries are estimated to be 8 billion condoms a year, whereas in reality 950 million were distributed in
2000 (as opposed to 970 million in 1990), at a time when there are 14 000 new victims of AIDS every
day worldwide.

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The Bush Administration in the USA firstly forces USAID, in the context of the ‘Buy American’ campaign,
to buy American condoms at twice the world price and therefore in half the quantity. Secondly, the
Administration has suspended its contribution to the UN Population Fund, one of the biggest suppliers of
condoms to poor countries worldwide. Thirdly, it has suspended assistance to any organisation involved
with family planning and information on abortion.

In what way will the Commission intervene to improve the supply and distribution systems to enable these
communities to be provided with condoms at the lowest market price? Will it finance their distribution in
the poor countries where the problem is particularly acute? What representations will it make to the US
authorities?

Answer given by Mr Nielson on behalf of the Commission

(20 January 2003)

The Commission is very concerned about the human immunodeficiency virus and acquired immune
deficiency syndrome (HIV/AIDS) pandemic, and agrees that support for actions against HIV/AIDS must be
a high priority in severely affected regions. Lack of access to condoms is an important factor in the failure
to curtail the spread of HIV in many developing countries.

The Commission has declared its support for the increased untying of Community aid, and recommends
that ongoing efforts concerning untying among all donors should be continued and extended in view of a
complete untying (cid:1) based on the principle of full reciprocity. This will help ensure that medicines and
other health-related products, including condoms, are available in developing countries at the best possible
price. Community aid for medicines and medical products is already untied.

the Country Support Strategy,

A decision to fund the supply and distribution of condoms in any given country would be made in the
from national authorities and
context of
in Zimbabwe the
coordinated with other development partners active in that country. For example,
Community is supporting the supply of essential drugs, the United Kingdom Department for International
Development the supply of condoms and United States Agency for International Development (USAID) the
supply of other reproductive health commodities.

in response to a request

In many developing countries, the Commission’s main support for health is via macroeconomic support or
through sector support programmes. In these, the recipient country sets its own priorities and uses
common procurement procedures. The Commission is engaged in dialogue with national authorities on
expenditure priorities and where relevant will highlight the need for condoms. The Commission is aware
that providing condoms alone is not sufficient to prevent the spread of HIV/AIDS. Condom provision must
be part of a package of measures, including informing, educating and sensitising the population, both
women and men.

The Community also supports technology transfer and capacity building for the production of drugs and
supplies in developing countries. To this end the Commission has facilitated discussions concerning
financial support from the European Investment Bank for the local production of condoms in South
Africa.

Specific funds for actions against HIV/AIDS, including provision of condoms, are available from the Global
Fund against AIDS, tuberculosis (TB) and Malaria. The Community, as a member of the Board of the
Global Fund,
is using its influence to obtain the best possible procurement conditions for developing
countries.

The Commission deplores the decision by the United States authorities to suspend its contributions to
United Nations Fund for Population Activities (UNFPA) and other organisations which support abortion
and abortion counselling (the so-called Mexico City Policy), and it has repeatedly and publicly criticised this
decision and expressed concern for the consequences it will have. The Commission has decided to increase
funding to those organisations most affected by the United States decision. Finally, the Commission will
continue to address this issue and that of tying of United States aid in appropriate fora, such as the Union/
United States meetings, the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) and the
Group of Eight.