Speech the seminar "Europe of the Health Consumer" 13 November 2008
Ewa Björling, Minister for Trade

Presentation by Swedish Minister for Trade, Dr Ewa Björling at the seminar "Europe of the Health Consumer"

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Ladies and gentlemen,

I am honoured to be invited here today to speak about HIV, or more specifically HIV, Corporate Social Responsibility and Trade. As Sweden's Minister for Trade, I have an overall responsibility for trade promotion and international trade policy within the Swedish government. And I am firmly convinced that the world needs more free trade, in particular in these times of economic turbulence.

Trade policy and the promotion of trade and investment build on this perspective. This means that we work at all levels to improve the conditions for free trade throughout the world. And our promotion activities are intended to put companies, and especially small and medium-sized enterprises, in a better position to benefit from the opportunities offered by globalisation.

I am also the minister responsible for Corporate Social Responsbility, CSR. The promotion of CSR is an important link between two cornerstones of Swedish policy; a free trade policy and a foreign and development policy that strongly emphasize the importance of human rights and a sustainable global development.

CSR is about establishing a level of responsibility in business as defined in the principles of the UN Global Compact and the OECD Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises. Such ambitious multi-sectoral initiatives encourage thousands of companies to work systematically with these questions.

CSR is a voluntary undertaking and rightly so. It is business-owned and business-driven. CSR is primarily not about adopting regulations or "codes of conduct". It is about adopting values and management systems that take advantage of the potential for growth that comes with caring for the employees, the consumers and the environment.

The concept of CSR is nothing new. Historically companies have invested in the employees and the environment in ways we today would describe as CSR. This was sound business decisions because they increased the companies' competitiveness and was conducive to growth. I saw a contemporary example of this in Johannesburg three weeks ago. The management at Sandvik was very outspoken about HIV at the workplace. They have to invest in their employees health, in order to protect their investment in the education and training of their employees.

The current focus on CSR has developed primarily as a response to the failure of governments or regulations in many parts of the world to solve basic problems concerning human rights, environmental protection, core labour standards and corruption.

Today it is widely recognized that there is a clear business case for behaving responsibly and setting good examples. Many companies see the implementation of business codes and practices not as short-term costs but as long-term investments. Failing to act responsibly makes it harder to attract skilled staff and to sell products and services.

There is an obvious link between CSR and HIV/AIDS, this global challenge that is one of the most urgent threats to mankind. In many parts of the world the companies, as employers, are the best suited to inform about HIV/AIDS. The companies are also important stakeholder in when it comes to combating HIV and AIDS.

For me, as a Swedish Cabinet Minister, it is absolutely clear that the fight against HIV and AIDS must stay high on the political agenda, both in the industrialized world, and in the most affected countries, for instance in Sub-Saharan Africa. Therefore, HIV and AIDS must continue to be a top priority in the dialogue and co-operation, and we should all strive to do more, and better. At the global arena leaders have taken on this responsibility through the adoption of the Universal Access to prevention, treatment and care program.

But this is not a struggle that can, or should, be fought only by politicians. Or even by doctors. All actors are needed in the fight. The role of the private sector is key in this struggle.

It is also not a struggle that can be fought only on foreign soil. HIV is already an issue in the industrialized world and we must have a discussion at home as well. This is one reason why I welcome initiatives like the Health Consumer Powerhouse Euro HIV index. I believe it is important for every country to know its HIV status, and I hope that the index can be helpful in this regard.

I hope that organisations like Health Consumer PowerHouse and others can deliver comprehensive, unbiased and independent information on, inter alia, HIV and AIDS. Such information lies at the very foundation of successful policies nationally, in Europe and globally.

Combatting HIV and AIDS is about long term commitments and sustainable financing. And it is about leadership. Politicians and other leaders in society need to take full responsibility to alleviate human suffering, increase respect for human rights, improve the efficiency of preventive work and increase access to care and treatment.

Leaders in the private sector can play a crucial role in all this. In supporting their own employees and their families, but also in taking part in regional and global events where HIV and AIDS is high on the agenda. For about 33 million people all over the world HIV or AIDS is part of their daily life. Therefore it must also be a part of our daily discussions; in schools, at the workplace and everywhere people meet to talk. The role of civil society is essential and the active and meaningful participation by people living with HIV and AIDS is key. I hope that all countries in the world recognize the strength in such a joint collaboration.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

As was said in the introduction, I have a past in HIV research. I know that the only way to conquer an infection like HIV is through research, prevention and health care. Research to find a vaccine and health care to bring the vaccine to the infected. Equally important is the distribution of antivirals and information to those concerned. This brings me to the subject of life science and health care industry.

The life science sector and health care are very rapidly growing markets around the world. Within the EU we have an innovative climate, world-leading research and major concentration of institutions. Sweden is one example. Our hospitals have strong links between day-to-day health care and basic research which is a key factor in medical research.

Regardless of country, it is from research and entrepreneurship that the future successful companies in the life-science sector will grow. In many cases these companies are so specialized that a national home market is far too small. This poses challenges for us as politicians on a European level. The obvious way ahead is to regard the EU as the home market. We need to formulate European policies in such a way as to promote export from day one. Thus we, literally many of us here today, has to combine forces within a European context to further enhance the common market in the health care and life science sectors.

If we want European companies to be globally successful exporters of health care, we need national policies that encourage entrepreneurs in the health care sector. We need policies that allow the private health care industry to grow and prosper. From a national perspective, we have to organise our health care in such a way that entrepreneurs are encouraged to start companies. These start-ups must be allowed to grow in an environment where they can reach the size necessary to be able to take the step onto the export market. I must admit that Sweden does not have the best track record on this. Due to traditional public monopolies, the health-care sector lag behind others sectors in Sweden.

We have to co-operate on a broad front to promote greater international co-operation, competitiveness, development, exports, imports and foreign investment in the sector. We can do so by promoting free trade and combating barriers to trade, and by actively promoting the internationalisation of the health care and life sciences sectors.

There is also a need for special action to promote trade and investment. Research companies need to meet other researchers and stakeholders. The medical supply sector has many small and medium-sized enterprises that need support and assistance to grow through internationalisation. The same applies to the medical technology industry and to health care.

If health care companies are to develop internationally, they need well-functioning markets and stable rules. EU Member States are working to complete the internal market, with free movement for goods, people, capital and, not least, services. The Services Directive is being implemented in Member States and is intended to make it easier for services companies to operate in other member countries. However, as you are aware, health care services have been exempted from the Services Directive.

This summer the Commission adopted a draft directive on patient rights in cross-border health care, known as the Patient Mobility Directive. One intention of the Directive is to develop the internal market by clarifying the legal position regarding the right of patients to be reimbursed for planned health care in other EU countries.

I welcome this initiative, which will make it easier for individuals seeking health care in another EU country by establishing clearer rules and ensuring patients more information and guidance about the conditions applying to cross-border health care. This will put patients in a stronger position and reinforce their ability to claim their rights under the EC Treaty.

In the event that more patients make use of their right to cross-border health care, the Directive also makes it easier for health care companies that want to expand internationally and/or provide health care services for people in other EU countries.

However, the right of health care companies to establish a business or provide temporary services in other Member States merits renewed attention. Health care companies and patients have a lot to gain from the EU opening up this sector. In order to reach this target, Sweden is currently looking at the potential of opening the Swedish market for foreign service providers within the two sectors medical analysis services and occupational health and safety services, and I would encourage you all to do the same.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

To conclude this presentation, I believe that Europe has a lot to offer when it comes to health care and life science. Through a committed, but always business-driven, work on CSR the struggle against HIV/AIDS can take on new dimensions and hopefully save more people all over the World to remain healthy or even from being infected.

Based on the high standard of the health care in Europe and common and national policies that are supportive to entrepreneurs and trade, European companies will be in a good position when it comes to improve health care, both in a general context but also more specifically when it comes to HIV and AIDS.

Thank you