WRITTEN QUESTION E-3832/03 by Nicholas Clegg (ELDR) to the Commission. Global Drug Facility.
Date: 2003-12-12
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: EU financing, aid policy, developing countries, health aid, infectious disease, medicinal product

C 84 E/740

Official Journal of the European Union

EN

3.4.2004

Answer given by Mrs Wallström on behalf of the Commission

(20 January 2004)

the proposal submitted under the LIFE III
The Commission informs the Honourable Member that
Programme for 2003 by the municipality of Prato (LIFE03 ENV/IT/000360) was not co-financed.
The reasons are given in the Commission’s letter of 8 September 2003. The proposal failed criterion
‘Coherence and quality’.

(2004/C 84 E/0835)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3832/03

by Nicholas Clegg (ELDR) to the Commission

(12 December 2003)

Subject: Global Drug Facility

Is the Commission aware that the Global Drug Facility, which has provided 1,9 million patients in
46 countries with free anti-TB drugs
shortfall of
USD 27,7 million? What are the present and planned levels of EU support for the GDF? What assurances
can the Commission give that the EU is providing sufficient resources to deal with the GDF’s present
financial shortfall?

in only 26 months, now faces a financial

Answer given by Mr Nielson on behalf of the Commission

(22 January 2004)

The Commission is aware of the role of the Global Tuberculosis (TB) Drug Facility and its constraints.

As regards tuberculosis in developing countries, the Commission developed in 2000 a broad and strategic
approach towards confronting human immuno deificiency virus/acquired immune deficiency syndrome
(HIV/AIDS), malaria and tuberculosis. The consultations around the High Level Round Table held in
September 2000 led to the Programme for Action: Accelerated action on HIV/AIDS, malaria and
tuberculosis in the context of poverty reduction, which established a coherent Community response for
2001-2006 (1). The Communication’s groundbreaking strategy builds on the experience of a compre-
hensive approach, the principle of country-led development process (cid:1) ownership (cid:1) and the interrelation-
ship of health and poverty and its implications for macroeconomic policy and development. It incorporates
the crucial global elements of partnerships in development,
trade and research. Within this policy
framework, the Commission uses a number of instruments in the fight against tuberculosis in developing
countries: national and regional indicative programmes through programme, sector or budget support;
emergency interventions by the European Humanitarian Aid Office (ECHO); research programmes by the
Directorate General for Research and Technological Development (DG RTD); the thematic budget line to
fight poverty-related diseases and non-governmental organisations (NGOs) co-financing budget
lines.
Altogether, the various development, humanitarian and research EC programmed support to combat HIV/
AIDS, malaria and tuberculosis, will total close to EUR 1 200 million (annual average of EUR 300 million)
for the period 2003-2006. This represents a four-fold increase from the annual average of EUR 73 million
in the previous 1994-2001 period.

Regarding the request for the Community to increase the support to the Global Drug Facility (GDF), the
Commission has to consider many competing demands. The Commission is at present discussing the
content of the Strategic Partnership with the World Health Organisation, which includes the priority area
of communicable diseases where issues related to the GDF could be considered.

(1) COM(2001) 96 final.