Resolution on the International Aids Conference in Durban, South Africa, July 2000

The European Parliament has adopted a joint motion for a resolution on the international AIDS Conference, which was tabled in accordance with Rule 37(4) of the Rules of Procedure on behalf of the PPE-DE, PSE, ELDR, GUE/NGL and UEN Groups. The European Parliament considers that HIV-AIDS has reached pandemic proportions, killing five people every minute in Africa, and has orphaned over 13.2 million children; 50 % of those infected by AIDS are women who are likely to pass HIV on to their babies. HIV-AIDS is the main cause of death in sub-Saharan Africa, while throughout the world 18.8 million - including 3.8 million children - have died of AIDS. After years of declining death rates in Africa, life expectancy there is now likely to fall below 45 years by 2015. The European Parliament therefore recognises the need to fight the disease by every possible means and supports the work being done by the United Nations Joint Programme on HIV-AIDS. It calls on the various international donors who are active in the fight against AIDS, such as the World Bank, Unicef, UNDP, UNFPA, UNDCP, Unesco and WHO, as well as the EU itself, to coordinate policies so as to avoid wasting resources. It calls on the Commission to monitor closely the human trials in Britain of a new AIDS vaccine and to encourage EU research in this field. It appeals to the pharmaceutical industry to reduce prices drastically and provide certain quantities of drugs free of charge. Noting that HIV-AIDS is causing dramatic demographic upheavals and is contributing to increased migration as the economies in developing countries collapse with the reduced cultivation of cash crops and food products, thereby destroying the efforts that have been made to foster development. It is therefore apparent that priority must be given to an emphatic campaign to combat AIDS. Two amendments to this motion for a resolution were tabled. The European Parliament has rejected these, one of which was proposed on behalf of the non-attached Members and the other on behalf of the PSE Group. �