Fast-track the end of AI​​​DS in the EU - practical evidence-based interventions. Presentation by: John F. Ryan, Director, European Commission, DG SANTE In a two-day meeting under the auspices of the Maltese Presidency of the Council of the European Union (30-31 January 2017), HIV experts from across the European Union discussed how to reverse this trend and how to prepare Europe to achieve the set target of ending AIDS by 2030.

1. HIV Prevention and
Control – the EU is up
to the challenge
John F. Ryan
Director
European Commission
DG SANTE: Public health, country knowledge, crisis management
Technical Conference: Fast-tracking the end of AIDS in Europe: practical
evidence-based interventions
Malta, 30-31 January 2017

2. HIV/AIDS: a continued epidemic
The latest epidemiological figures:
• 29,747 new cases reported in 2015 in the EU/EEA
• 810,000 people estimated to live with HIV/AIDS in the EU/EEA
• Overall trend has remained stable in the past decade
• Men having sex with men main driver behind current trends, other
modes of transmission declining
• Late diagnosis still an issue: 47% diagnosed late in 2015
• Worrying upsurge in the epidemic in non-EU countries in the
Eastern Neighbourhood

3. *ECDC. The status of the HIV response in the European Union/European Economic Area, 2016. Stockholm: ECDC; 2017.
85% 83% 89%
Fast-Track
Targets
EU/EEA
estimates*
Where are we today in the EU/EEA?

4. 2005 Commission
communication
(2006-2009)
2009 Commission
communication +
First Action Plan
2009-2013
Second Action
Plan 2014-2016
2016 Commission
Communication on
the Next Steps for a
Sustainable
European Future –
reaffirmed political
commitment "to help
Member States reach
the SDG targets, in
particular… ending
HIV/AIDS and
Tuberculosis (and
reducing Hepatitis)…"
HIV/AIDS – a decade of political action
2015 Evaluation: "the
Communication… helped focus efforts
and resources on priority regions and
groups, empowered civil society, it
facilitated exchange of experience and
enabled funding of collaborative
projects in the areas of research and
public health…"

5. The Sustainable Development Goals, Sept. 2015
• Goal 3: Ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages
 Target 3.3: By 2030, end the epidemics of AIDS, tuberculosis, malaria and
neglected tropical diseases and combat hepatitis, water-borne diseases and
other communicable diseases
UNAIDS Strategy 2016-2021, Oct. 2015
• Specific targets, 90-90-90, etc.
• End the AIDS epidemic by 2030
WHO, Global Health Sector Strategies 2016-2021, May 2016
• Vision: Zero new HIV infections, zero HIV-related deaths and zero HIV-related
discrimination
• 2020 targets: 90-90-90, <500,000 new HIV infections, <500,000 HIV-related
deaths, zero new infections among infants
UNGA High-Level Meeting, June 2016
• Calls for urgent action over the next five years
• Regional targets for Western and Central Europe and North America
International momentum building

6. Main Focus: Implementation
All EU Member States have subscribed to the international
goals
The EU has set its strategic priorities and political support
to reach the SDGs
 By mainstreaming the SDGs in European policies and current
Commission priorities
 By using instruments at EU disposal
 Specifically on communicable diseases, the Commission is "updating
and extending its work to help meet the target of ending AIDS and
tuberculosis and combating hepatitis"

7. Chief instrument for action in the area of public health
HIV/AIDS amongst the priority areas:
• Over EUR 16M spent under 2nd Health Programme (2008-2013)
• So far over EUR 10M invested under 3rd Health Programme (2014-2020)
On-going actions:
 New Joint Action on quality of prevention and linkage to care for HIV/AIDS,
STIs, hepatitis and tuberculosis (under preparation)
 Study on socio-economic impacts of EU policies (tender launched)
 ESTICOM Project on European Surveys and Trainings to Improve MSM
Community Health (on-going)
 E-DETECT TB project: Early DETECTion and integrated management of
TuBerculosis in Europe (2016-2019)
 HEPCARE EUROPE project: Early diagnosis and treatment of viral hepatitis
(2016-2019)
 HA-REACT Joint Action on HIV and Co-infection Prevention and Harm
Reduction (20185-2018)
The Health Programme

8. The EU HIV/AIDS Think Tank and Civil Society Forum
• Established informal expert groups since 2005
• Main role – to advise the Commission on policy development and
concrete action where the EU can support national efforts
• Dialogue with civil society groups
• Participation of candidate and neighbouring countries
• Important fora for the exchange of best practice across the EU
Expansion of the Think Tank and Civil Society Forum in 2017
 to align with the renewed political commitment
 to integrate better the three disease areas: HIV/AIDS, viral hepatitis
and tuberculosis
 to reinvigorate the functioning of the two bodies in implementing
best practice
Continued cooperation – the EU
Think Tank and Civil Society Forum

9. Surveillance and monitoring
The European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control – main
partner
• Epidemiological surveillance and reporting (under Decision 1082/2013)
• Dublin Declaration monitoring of response
The European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug
Addictions
• Reporting on injecting drug users as one of key at-risk groups
• Information on links between public health and harm reduction
State of Health in the EU: Health at a Glance (with OECD)
• Commission's main assessment of the state of health and health systems
• Country-specific analysis
• HIV-related indicators used to assess health status/outcomes, health
determinants and effectiveness and quality of care

10. Next steps – implementing our goals
Important to focus on concrete action for change
Where can EU-wide cooperation best contribute to national efforts?
Looking forward to technical recommendations from this
conference as input for further policy activities
What specific contribution can be made to:
- Testing
- Prevention
- Linkage to care
- Quality of life
- Priority at-risk groups
- Monitoring and evaluation
- Stigma and discrimination

11. Thank you!
EU Commission Public Health: https://ec.europa.eu/health/
Health Policy Platform: https://webgate.ec.europa.eu/hpf/
EU_Health @ Twitter: https://twitter.com/eu_health
HIV/AIDS at the EU: https://ec.europa.eu/health/sti_prevention/hiv_aids_en

12. Fast-track the end of AIDS in the EU
practical evidence-based interventions