Speech to International AIDS Conference, 21 July 2010 We are here from across the world to tell the European Commission that we will fight your aggressive threats to our medicines tooth and nail. This is a matter of life and death for us and if the European Commission wants a fight we are here to give it one. The fact that a session on access to medicines is being addressed by the DG TRADE and not the DG HEALTH of the European Commission is a statement in itself of how the European Commission approaches the right to health. It’s all about profits. All about business. As the European Commission, you have lied about what you are negotiating with India in the Free Trade Agreement; about what you are negotiating in ACTA and on the seizures of generic medicines from India to South America and Africa. You have lied about these negotiations not affecting access to medicines and that you respect the Doha Declaration. We have seen the texts of these Agreements and we know what you are demanding and you should be ashamed. Either you think we are fools or you are arrogant enough to believe you can get away with these lies. Organisations across the world like Act-up Paris, Health Gap, DNP+ and others have called you out on these lies; yet you still persist in your deadly trade policies. You are making medicines more expensive and at the same time freezing your contributions to the Global Fund. We will not give up our rights. We have seen the real face of the European Commission and it is clear you are going back to what you know best – what you have over 400 years of experience in – COLONIALISM. We fought you then and we will fight you now. Your policies are killing people. Your policies are driving people into poverty. Your policies are your true face. Act-Up Paris 21 July 2010