The European Union and its member states on 23 June 2026 voted in favour of the UN General Assembly's Political Declaration on HIV/AIDS, while voicing deep regret that the text's overall ambition and human rights approach had been weakened compared to the 2021 declaration. Speaking on behalf of the EU, the Cyprus Presidency of the Council of the EU delivered an explanation of vote at the UN in New York, stressing that the EU's support was conditional on several red lines.
The EU dissociated from any references to targets or objectives not aligned with the Global AIDS Strategy 2026-2031, which it described as evidence-based and adopted by the UNAIDS Programme Coordinating Board. It also dissociated from uncaveated references to technology transfer, insisting that such transfer must be voluntary and on mutually agreed terms. Similarly, the EU dissociated from paragraph 86 of the declaration, stating it could only recognise references to the WTO Doha Declaration on TRIPS and Public Health that are fully aligned with its text. The EU further dissociated from paragraph 41, which it said was not the exact verbatim reference of the Pact for the Future on unilateral economic measures.
The EU regretted that the text did not sufficiently recognise the importance of a progressive transition to health sovereignty, nor the necessary coherence with global health initiatives. It reaffirmed that its references on these matters remain the Sevilla Commitment and the Global AIDS Strategy 2026-2031. The EU also noted that the text did not adequately reflect current realities, including the UN80 reform initiative and the ongoing UNAIDS transition.
Despite these shortcomings, the EU decided to support the declaration, citing the political importance of having a framework to guide action on the ground. The EU reiterated its commitment to a rights-based, human-centred, and evidence-driven response, with a strong focus on key populations, adolescent girls and young women, and the role of civil society and community-led organisations.
The explanation of vote was delivered under Agenda item 10, following a General Debate the previous day. The declaration was co-facilitated by Georgia and Botswana.