Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2004-01-13-Speech-2-315"
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"en.20040113.14.2-315"2
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".
The Commission welcomes Parliament’s interest in its report on the Programme for Action. We share the overall assessment that substantial progress has been made, but further action is needed – by developing countries, by EU Member States and other donors, by the business sector, by NGOs and by European institutions – to confront and fight HIV/AIDS, TB and malaria.
We recognise that these diseases affect different people in different ways and that women, children and the poorest sections of the population are often most vulnerable and most severely hit. This should be documented, wherever practically possible, by developing countries, with support from the international donor community. At the same time, we should avoid portraying women only as victims and make an effort to recognise the tremendous contribution they make in terms of caring for people living with HIV/AIDS or for children left behind. Women comprise that group of the population which is most affected, in a negative sense, by poverty and disease but strangely, at the same time, that group shows the biggest potential for change and hope.
I note with satisfaction the importance attached in the report to our cooperation with the World Health Organization. This is now recognised more visibly through the strategic partnership which is being developed between our two institutions and which, for example, has led to the signature of an agreement to provide EUR 25 million of Community funding to support the WHO in developing its pharmaceutical policies.
I also understand the emphasis placed by the rapporteur on access to basic health services and on the wish to see increased funding for this sector. The Commission is open to increasing – however we can – support for health and other social services. However, this is a demand-driven process in which our partner countries are in the lead.
As to the Global Fund, our contribution has been steadily increasing, with the vital support of Parliament. We have now secured funding for the next four years, both from the Community budget and from the European Development Fund. Despite this, resources for the Global Fund are still far from adequate. We are committed to working together with the Member States to find a sustainable solution.
The EU as a whole – the Member States and the Commission – have so far contributed more than 50% of the money in the Global Fund. That is a figure worth keeping in mind in view of the complaints made now and then by other donor countries.
Access to affordable medicines is an important element in our Programme for Action. Through tiered pricing and the untying of aid we have managed to contribute to a process whereby prices on medicines have been reduced by up to 90%. Supply of medicines at tiered prices is essential and the European Union has adopted a regulation to prevent the re-importation into Europe of medicines sold at tiered prices in developing countries. That is very important.
The report rightly points to the important role that research and development of new medicines and vaccines could play in fighting these three 'killer diseases'. More needs to be done in public and private research to develop new products which target these diseases. It is clear that pharmaceutical companies could play a constructive role in addressing these needs. The European and Developing Countries Clinical Trials Partnership aims to facilitate such a contribution from industry. The Commission is already contributing to this initiative, but we also expect Member States and industry to allocate resources.
I should like to respond to Mrs Sandbæk's remarks concerning the negative impact of the Mexico City Policy carried out by the Bush Administration in Washington. I agree with the choice of wording put forward by Mrs Sandbæk. We have reacted to this policy, which was announced when President Bush took office, by saying clearly that Europe is ready and willing to fill the decency gap, and that is what we are doing."@en1
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