UK Presidency of the European Union – an important moment for EU policy
31 August 2005
Holding the Presidency of the European Union from 1 July to 31 December 2005, the UK is in a strong position to ensure a coordinated EU response to halt the HIV/AIDS epidemic. A number of opportunities fall within the six-month Presidency period to ensure that HIV/AIDS work remains an EU priority.
A crucial component of the EU’s work in achieving the Millennium Development Goals should be to ensure that health and HIV/AIDS are included as major strategies in the new European Development Policy Statement, the Africa Initiative and the thematic Programme for Human and Social Development (see below). The UK Presidency needs to ensure that HIV/AIDS is a priority in all of these policy processes because of the integral link with poverty reduction. A commitment to both preventing and mitigating the impact of HIV/AIDS is needed if the if the Millennium Development Goals are to be realised.
Key areas for the UK Presidency of the EU
Programme for Action
In April this year, the European Commission adopted a revised EU Programme for Action to confront HIV/AIDS, Malaria and TB. One of the tasks of the UK Presidency must be to ensure that there is effective resourcing, implementation and evaluation of the Programme for Action and that key commitments are delivered.
Development cooperation
The UK Presidency must deliver on commitments made to further strengthen the EU’s contribution to international efforts which tackle poverty. This includes continuing work on innovative financing mechanisms and on multilateral debt relief, and building on results of the G8. The Presidency must focus on accelerating progress towards attaining the Millennium Development Goals.
The European Commission is currently drafting a revised EU Development Policy Statement that will form the basis of EU development cooperation in 2010, taking into account the outcome of the Millennium Review Summit in September. As part of this process, the UK Presidency should play a crucial role in ensuring that social and human development isn’t displaced by new concerns for international security, and that strategies for responding to health and HIV/AIDS are recognised as central components for effective development.
Africa
Another priority for the UK Presidency is Africa. In March this year, the European Council underlined the particular importance of Africa in 2005. They welcomed the European Commission’s intention to reinforce the EU’s support for the continent and took note of the Commission for Africa report. The European Council in June asked the European Commission to elaborate a new long-term strategy for EU/Africa relations in the second half of 2005, also in the light of the Millennium Review Summit. The Presidency should now play a crucial role in ensuring that HIV/AIDS is a central theme in the new Africa Initiative.
Finance
Discussions will continue during the UK Presidency on proposals for the EU’s external spending in the next Financial Perspectives 2007-2013, the financial framework of the EU on which the annual EU budgets are based.
The European Commission is currently in the process of drafting a Communication on a thematic programme for Human and Social Development under the future Financial Perspectives 2007-2013, which is likely to be adopted under the UK Presidency. The EU Member States can only make specific budget allocations to the priorities identified in this programme once there is overall agreement on the new Financial Perspectives. A thematic budget line covering Human and Social Development is being drafted, which will finance HIV/AIDS programmes in developing countries. So it is crucial that the UK Presidency uses its influence to ensure that this thematic paper contains strong language and comprehensive support for health and HIV/AIDS programming.
