The European AIDS Treatment Group (EATG) is a European network of nationally-based volunteer activists comprising of more than 175 members from 47 countries in Europe. The members are representatives of different communities affected by HIV/AIDS in Europe. The nature of the EATG implies that it has members all over Europe and sometimes even beyond. There are two kinds of
membership:
Supporting Membership, without voting right
Ordinary Membership, with voting right, usually granted after 1 year
Since its foundation, the EATG has been at the forefront of the development of the civil society response to the HIV/AIDS epidemic in Europe. It represents and defends the treatment-related interests of people living with HIV/AIDS. The activities focus on treatment literacy and treatment advocacy. A major goal for EATG when it was founded in 1992 was the simultaneous development of therapies in Europe, including not only antiretroviral therapies, but as well as treatments for opportunistic infections and other AIDS related conditions.
The members are active in the following countries:
Albania, Armenia, Austria, Belarus, Belgium, Bosnia & Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Georgia, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Kazakhstan, Kosovo, Kyrgyzstan, Latvia, Lithuania, Macedonia, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russia, Serbia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Tajikistan, Turkey, Ukraine, United Kingdom, Uzbekistan. They also have members in Canada and US.
EATG maintains strong connexions with International Peer Networks
The EATG maintains strong links with harm reduction and drug user group from Western and Eastern Europe as well as advocacy organisations and networks of people living with HIV/AIDS, such as:
International Harm Reduction Development Program (IHRD)
Eurasian Harm Reduction Network (EHRN)
EATG STRATEGY
The first EATG Long Term Strategy covered the period beween 2007 and 2010. At the end of 2011 EATG published its 2012-2015 Long Term Strategy (as a follow up to the previous 2007-2010 LTS).
Within the framework of the Long Term Strategy a work plan is developed each year. At the end of the year an annual report is published.
The EATG’s Long Term Strategy “Intensifying Our HIV Activism in Europe” focuses on making sure that all people who need have access to affordable medication for HIV, and prevention tools to avoid HIV infection.
The EATG Operating Guidelines states the following mission statement:
To achieve the fastest possible access to state of the art medical products and devices, and diagnostic tests that prevent or treat HIV infection or improve the quality of life for people living with HIV, or at risk of HIV infection. In responding to HIV, the EATG will also consider diseases frequently seen as co- infections in persons living with HIV, as well as other health issues that increase the risk of HIV infection.
The primary geographic focus of the EATG is the member states served by the World Health Organization Regional Office for Europe; however, the EATG will consider opportunities to collaborate with and support similar efforts in other parts of the world.
Thus the mission of the EATG is to improve access to treatment and standard of care for people with HIV and AIDS in the countries that constitute the
WHO Europe region. Access to, and quality of, treatment and the standard of care are the predominant and core concerns.
However, this mission is, in practice, interpreted with sufficient latitude to include a range of ancillary, and closely connected emphases, including new prevention technologies , access to harm reduction for injecting drug users, and access to reproductive technologies. The EATG intends to maintain and consolidate its position as the leading European patient/community authority on HIV/AIDS and HIV/AIDS treatment issues, and to be recognized as such by all stakeholders.
