Commissioners Markos Kyprianou and Louis Michel spoke about the EU actions to tackle the HIV/AIDS epidemic on the occasion of World AIDS Day 2004, which was dedicated to “Women, girls and HIV and AIDS”.
Speaking at the European Parliament, Commissioner Kyprianou re-stated that “the Commission is addressing the HIV/AIDS issue both within and outside the EU. Together with the Member States [the EU is] the biggest contributor to the Global Fund, which is the main financial instrument in the struggle against the HIV/AIDS epidemic globally”.
Commissioner Kyprianou stressed the importance of issues such as prevention, information, access to treatment, stigma and discrimination.
Commissioner Michel stated that “the World AIDS Day must be an occasion to remind us all of the need to reinforce our commitment to confront HIV/AIDS in Europe and throughout the world, when the pandemic continues to spread and the number of people currently living with HIV/AIDS gets close to 40 million”.
He stated that education and prevention will be his “prime objective”.
The EU also released a memo on the European Union activities relating to HIV/AIDS.
