Surveillance data are a basic prerequisite for decision-making and for monitoring, evaluating and improving policies and services.

Lack of such data management systems may be a significant obstacle for developing appropriate strategies and policies, and for introducing efficient interventions for sexually transmitted infections(STI)/HIV/AIDS prevention, treatment and control.

Sociological and behavioral data to predict the size of the future HIV epidemic and to predict the degree and the speed at which the epidemic will spread into the general population is limited in several European countries. In addition, insufficient knowledge is available about the increase in sexual and drug-related risk behavior observed in some populations, the reasons for it and the geographical or urban/rural distribution of the epidemic in individual countries.

Lack of detailed and comprehensive surveillance data prevents: 

• the development of effective strategies to deal with the epidemic; 
• the planning of services; and 
• appropriate mid- and long-term resources’ allocation and deployment.