To commemorate World AIDS Day, EU Commissioner for Health John Dalli will give a keynote speech at a seminar on HIV testing in the European Parliament. Early detection is vital for early treatment and increasing life expectancy, as estimates show that about one third of people infected with HIV in Europe are unaware they have it. To fight AIDS on a global scale, EU Commissioner for Development Andris Piebalgs recently announced a 10% increase in contributions to the Global Fund to fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria (GFATM), to which the EU is already the largest donor, providing 52% of resources. The increase would allow the Commission to contribute around €1.3 billion over the period 2002-2013.

On the annual World Aids Day, John Dalli, Commissioner for Health and Consumer Policy said: "HIV and AIDS have been causing great suffering to people and communities across the world for more than a quarter of century. Testing is an important first step to fight the virus. Today is the time to build up momentum; and strengthen our commitment to fight this terrible disease."

Andris Piebalgs, Commissioner for Development added: "Without a healthy population it is impossible to create inclusive and sustainable growth in developing countries to reach the Millennium Development Goals. AIDS remains one of the most deadly diseases and we have to increase our efforts in preventing the spread of this virus."
Despite the overall decrease in the number of new infections, the total number of people living with HIV worldwide continues to grow. The number of people living with HIV globally now stands at 33.4 million. Sub-Saharan Africa remains the worst affected region, accounting for 71% of all new HIV infections in 2008.

As the world's biggest donor of development aid, the European Commission remains committed to its engagement in fighting AIDS in cooperation with its partner countries all over the world.

Background on EU involvement in the fight against AIDS

EU Member States and the European Commission have provided more than $10 billion from 2002 – 2010 to the GFATM, which equals 52% of the GFATM resources. In June this year, the GFATM reported that 2.8 million people with HIV have received life-saving antiretroviral (ARV) treatment thanks to their actions. In addition, through its contribution the Commission gave access for 7.7 million people to insecticide-treated mosquito nets and provided antiretroviral combination therapy to 750,000 people with advanced HIV infection.

The European Commission is a founding member of the Global Fund. It has been providing strong political and financial support to it since 2002. The 10% increase proposal is subject to approval by the budgetary authorities of the EU and the African, Caribbean and Pacific Group (ACP).

The EU also supports its partner countries all over the world in designing and implementing their national health policies. Through this instrument the EU can help to provide longer-term and more consistent financing to combat this terrible disease.

European Commission actions to fight HIV/AIDS:

• As the world's largest donor of development aid, the European Union has collectively provided the majority of the significant increase in recent years of international financing for combating HIV/AIDS.
• HIV/AIDS projects and programmes are carried out through different financial instruments in multiple policy fields, such as the Research Framework Programme, the Health Programme, the Development Cooperation Instrument and others.
• The European Programme for Action to Confront HIV/AIDS, Malaria and Tuberculosis through External Action (2007-2011) sets out a strategy for with suggestions for collective actions on the part of the Commission and the Member States.
• In its international cooperation the Commission addresses HIV/AIDS through two complementary and mutually supporting approaches: through bilateral support to strengthen health systems to ensure equal access to quality care and through active membership of the Global Fund to fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria (GFATM).
• EU Member States and the European Commission have provided more than $10 billion from 2002 – 2010 to the GFATM, which equals 52% of the GFATM resources. In June this year, the GFATM reported that 2.8 million people with HIV have received life-saving antiretroviral (ARV) treatment thanks to their actions.
• The European Commission is a founding member of the Global Fund. It has been providing strong political and financial support to the fund since 2002. From 2002 to 2010, the European Commission contributed a total of €972.5 million, which makes it the fifth largest donor to the fund (after the USA, France, Italy and Japan).
• In its cooperation with its partner countries all over the world the Commission is increasingly channelling its funds available through budget support to strengthen health systems as one of the main ways to confront AIDS. This new instrument is thought to be particularly beneficial for health systems, providing longer-term and predictable financing.
• The Commission Communication on Combating HIV/AIDS in the European Union and neighbouring countries for 2009-2013 concentrates on prevention and on measures for most at risk groups and particular geographical areas mainly affected by HIV/AIDS.
• The HIV/AIDS Think Tank and the HIV/AIDS Civil Society Forum bring together national authorities, academia, International organisations and Civil Society to realise its implementation and to contribute to reducing the burden of epidemic in Europe.

Background figures on HIV/AIDS in the world:

• Since the beginning of the epidemic, almost 60 million people have been infected with HIV and more than 25 million people have died of AIDS related causes.
• Today, more than 33 million people are living with HIV/AIDS.
• Around 6,800 people are infected by HIV each day. About 45 percent of these are young people aged 15 to 24.
• Sub-Saharan Africa is the region most affected by the disease and is home to 67% of all people living with HIV worldwide and 91% of all new infections among children.
• AIDS is the leading cause of death in sub-Saharan Africa and the fourth-leading cause of death worldwide.
• In Eastern Europe prevalence of HIV infections continues to rise, predominantly among injecting drug users and their sexual partners. 35% of all new infections in the European Union are among Men having sex with men.
• Despite the overall decrease in the number of new infections, the total number of people living with HIV worldwide continues to grow (partly due to increased survival because of increased coverage with anti-retroviral treatment).
• More than 5,2 million people in low an middle income countries receive life saving antiretroviral treatment, but another 10 million people, including hundreds of thousands in the European neighbourhood still do not have access to ARVs.