15/04/2008 (Agence Europe) - Members of the ALDE Group, Sarah Ludford (UK) and Sophie In't Veld (NL), have launched an online petition protesting against the issue of US refusal, dating from 1993, to extend its Visa Waiver Programme (VWP) to people with HIV. The United States maintains that such people are a threat to public health despite the fact that the European Commission has affirmed there is no objective reason for this stance. “The greater the number of people who support the call to end this unfair discrimination, the less the problem can be ignored by European policy-makers”, Mr Ludford said on Monday 14 April in a press release. Ms In't Veld stressed: “The Barroso Commission can show it stands by its solemn pledge to the European Parliament in 2004 to be the champion of fundamental rights”. (B.C.)