Euro-Med Movement

COMMISSION TO PROMOTE
'SAFE SEX'

Malta, December 20, 2005 11:00AM

The Commission is concerned that prevention of HIV/AIDS has become less of a focus and is emphasising the importance of public private partnerships to tackle the disease.

The Commission has adopted a new Communication on combating HIV/AIDS. The Communication lays down a strategy and an action plan to combat the disease in the EU and in the neighbouring countries from 2006 to 2009.

"I am most worried about the decreasing attention for prevention. We have to promote education, safe sex, the use of sterile needles and syringes, and keep working for universal access to treatment," said Health and Consumer Protection Commissioner Markos Kyprianou. The Commission wants to involve civil society in policy making and is inviting European businesses to play a role in implementing the new EU strategy.

The Standing Committee of European Doctors' recent policy paper on HIV/AIDS states "harmonising the very heterogeneous strategies to provide affordable and equal access to appropriate care and treatment, including antiretroviral treatments" as the EU's biggest challenge - especially in the new EU countries that are among the countries with the highest rates of HIV infection in the world

LINK - Communication from EU Commission to Council