EU Explanation of Position: UN General Assembly: Draft Resolution on Access to Assistive Technology (L.110)

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President, Excellencies, 

I have the honour to speak on behalf of the European Union and its 27 Member States. 

We would like to thank Pakistan for co-facilitating this process.

The EU remains steadfast in its commitment to multilateralism and sustained global health action, recognising it as an enduring worldwide challenge that demands a unified, international response and joins the consensus on this resolution.

Having said this, we regret the removal of references to the World Health Organization and the weakening of the language on universal health coverage compared with previous iterations of the text. We consider the WHO’s to be the central pillar of the global health architecture and universal health coverage as a key objective for strong, inclusive and resilient health systems. In this regard, we are concerned by the use of a change of General Assembly agenda item to justify selective omissions in the text.

We further recall that access to technology must respect international rules and that technology transfer can only be undertaken on a voluntary basis and on mutually agreed terms, and consider that relevant references in the text do not set a precedent for future negotiations. 

The EU will continue to cooperate with partner countries in areas of mutual interest, on the basis of solidarity, accountability, and respect for human rights – to strengthen the resilience of health systems and address the root causes of ill health, which is fundamental to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals and implementing the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. 

Thank you.