Improving HIV/AIDS Policy at European and International level

EATG works to ensure continued political attention to universal access to anti-retroviral drugs with a special focus on quality treatment and care and affordable pricing, in the EU member states, South Eastern and Eastern Europe and Central Asia. It also advocates to address the human rights of PLWH and vulnerable groups at risk of HIV infection.

EATG members provide input into policy development through their contribution to the activities of the Policy Working Group and their interaction with external bodies, like UNAIDS Programme Coordination Board, UNAIDS Reference Group on HIV and Human Rights, EU Civil Society Forums on HIV and on Drugs, European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC), Dublin Declaration Advisory Groups, WHO Europe Health in Prison Project Network, the European Public Health Alliance and other non-governmental organisations.

The Policy Working Group (PWG) of EATG develops policy positions and policy-related projects. It implements activities to promote better, quicker and more equal access to vital medication for persons living with HIV.

The activities of PWG include:

• Monitoring European policy and legislative developments that impact on the goals of the EATG and report to the EATG
  and its Board of Directors;
• Organising policy dialogues on topical issues;
• Proving input into relevant consultations on policy and legislative development;
• Promoting EATG and community participation in discussion of European and multilateral institutions;
• Developing EATG position papers on public health and HIV-related issues.

The EATG been engaged in advocacy at the European level since 1998 to promote better, more equal and quicker access to vital medications of people living with HIV and AIDS in Europe. These activities have involved monitoring the political health agenda of the EU Institutions (European Commission and Parliament) as well as the European Medicinal Agency (EMA) and its Committee for Human Medicinal Products (CHMP) on specific issues which it believes have an impact on the EATG and the European HIV/AIDS community.

Chairs:

The Policy Working Group has two co-chairs. Peter Wiessner was elected in 2011 and Luis Mendão at the 2012 General Assembly.

Policy Officer: Ann Isabelle von Lingen

Promoting early diagnosis and early care

The HIV in Europe initiative is a pan-European initiative kicked off in Brussels in 2007 to ensure that HIV positive patients enter care earlier in the course of their infection than is currently the case, as well as to study the decrease in the proportion of HIV positive persons presenting late for care. The initiative is directed by an independent group of experts with representation from civil society, policy makers, health professionals and European public health institutions. The EATG serves as its Advocacy Secretariat.

Building on the momentum ensued since the adoption of the European Parliament ‘Joint Resolution on HIV/AIDS: early diagnosis and early care’, the renewed HIV in Europe ‘call to action’ (2010-2011) and national developments, the EATG HIV in Europe Advocacy Secretariat advocated for earlier diagnosis and earlier care seeking to reinforce political commitment and action at national and European levels.