WRITTEN QUESTION P-2836/03 by Ulla Sandbæk (EDD) to the Commission. HIV and Commission support for development of affordable microbicide.
Date: 2003-09-18
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: AIDS, EU research policy, disease prevention, medical research, reproductive health, research project

13.3.2004

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 65 E/229

The Commission has monitored carefully the physical implementation and the contract management of
certains major projects in partnership with the national authorities. This concerned in particular track
works which included the construction of tunnels and bridges (e.g. at Kallidromo, Tembi, Platamon), and
the project for the electrification of the line. The Commission implemented a number of audits and
commissioned a series of expert opinions, the results of which will be fully taken into account for the
closure of the programme and projects concerned, which is currently underway and will determine the
definitive absorption figures for the period 1994-1999.

Most of the large railway projects launched in the previous funding period represent major long-term
the 2000-2006 ERDF
investments and accordingly their
Operational Programme ‘Railways, Airports, Urban transport’ and the Cohesion Fund railway projects of
the 2000-2006 funding period. In the current period, new projects include the modernisation of the
railway section Korinthos-Patras and the construction of the Athens suburban railway.

realisation will only be complete under

(2004/C 65 E/244)

WRITTEN QUESTION P-2836/03

by Ulla Sandbæk (EDD) to the Commission

(18 September 2003)

Subject: HIV and Commission support for development of affordable microbicide

Given the alarming rise of HIV infection in women and girls and the clear need for female-controlled
prevention, can the Commission provide an update on how much support it is giving, through different
instruments, to support the development of a safe, effective and affordable microbicide?

Answer given by Mr Byrne on behalf of the Commission

(16 October 2003)

The Sixth Framework Programme on Research and Technological Development (2002-2006) within
Priority 1 on Life sciences, Genomics and Biotechnology for Health has an action line dedicated to the
major communicable diseases linked to poverty.

This action line through two different pillars supports research on microbicides.

Firstly,
it supports projects selected through standard call procedures, using the two new instruments
(networks of excellence and integrated projects). Two integrated projects on microbicides were evaluated in
the first call for proposals and are now in the negotiation phase with the Commission. These projects
should run for five years and should develop a second generation of microbicides. One project is designed
to create a development pipeline to allow the selection of candidates from a wide range of potentially
effective agents.

Another project has a directed approach to bring a specific new class of microbicides to phase 1 clinical
trials.

European key players in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) microbicides field are assembled in these
consortia. The integration and complementarity of these two approaches place Europe in a strong strategic
position.

Secondly a joint programme with Member States and Norway, the‘European and Developing Countries
Clinical Trials Partnership’ (EDCTP) has just been launchedto develop new clinical interventions against
HIV/acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS), malaria and tuberculosis
through a long-term
partnership between Europe and developing countries. In the future, clinical trials on HIV microbicides
could be tested through EDCTP programme in Africa. Actions under the public health programme of the
Community do not foresee, nor are they intended to support, the development of medicinal products.