WRITTEN QUESTION E-0225/03 by Guido Podestà (PPE-DE) to the Commission. AIDS in eastern Europe.
Date: 2003-02-03
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: AIDS, Central and Eastern Europe, EU policy, cooperation policy, disease prevention, health policy

3.4.2004

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 84 E/213

WRITTEN QUESTIONS WITH ANSWER
(Part 2)

(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:

(cid:1) 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.

(cid:1) Trafficking in human beings and the sex trade have increased since the fall of the Berlin Wall, as has

drug use among young people.

(cid:1) 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/AIDS 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

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Official Journal of the European Union

EN

3.4.2004

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.

(2004/C 84 E/0258)

WRITTEN QUESTION P-2374/03

by Raffaele Costa (PPE-DE) to the Commission

Subject: Contracting and subcontracting by the Commission

(16 July 2003)

In view of the recent OLAF investigation into the alleged misappropriation of about EUR 900 000 by
senior Eurostat staff, the fact that the Commission has launched a reform of the accounting system, which
is deemed to be inadequate, and that Eurostat subcontracted services to Eurogramme, Eurocost and
Planistat, can the Commission specify what services have been contracted out and subcontracted in the last
five years, how much they cost, and what the mechanisms for allocating contracts and selecting successful
contractors are?

Supplementary answer
given by Ms Schreyer on behalf of the Commission

(24 February 2004)

The OLAF investigations are into an allegation that Eurostat was keeping accounts outside the official

1.
accounting system.

The reform of the accounting system (cid:1) in line with the new Financial Regulation (cid:1) is proceeding
2.
according to schedule. It has the full support of the ECA and will put the Commission at the forefront of
modern public-sector accounting practices.

3.
The contracting-out of services is dealt with in the Financial Regulation. The IAS has looked into the
contracts. As regards the number of contracts, the Commission would refer to Written Questions P-3457/
02 by Mr Heaton-Harris (1), P-1705/03 by Ms Stauner (2), P-1724/03 by Mr Blak (3), P-1807/03 by
Mr Bösch (2), P-1890/03 by Mr Heaton-Harris (4), P-1978/03 by Ms Stauner (2) and P-2453/03 by
Mr Meijer (5) and information sent direct to Parliament in 2003.

(1) OJ C 137 E, 12.6.2003.
(2) OJ C 70 E, 20.3.2004, p. 58.
(3) OJ C 58 E, 6.3.2004, p. 89.
(4) OJ C 51 E, 26.2.2004, p. 153.
(5) OJ C 65 E, 13.3.2004, p. 156.

(2004/C 84 E/0259)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2454/03

by Erik Meijer (GUE/NGL) to the Commission

(23 July 2003)

Subject: Eurostat: alteration of

the Commission’s position on recognising and tackling fraud and

consequences for independent investigation by OLAF

1. Why has the Commission hitherto adopted the position, with regard to Eurostat’s contacts with
dubious businesses and concealed accounts, that it could not do anything or make any substantive
statement until the findings of the OLAF investigation were published, which is due to happen shortly, and
why did it stress in its reply of 3 June 2003 to my question H-0343/03 (1) that in principle everyone is
deemed innocent until they have been proved guilty?

2. Why has the Commission now decided, before OLAF’s findings are published, already nonetheless to
refer the case to the Internal Audit Service with effect from 7 July 2003? Why did the Commission at that