Human rights violations in Vietnam and the EU-Vietnam trade agreement

12.4.2018

Question for written answer P-002107-18
to the Commission
Rule 130
Anne-Marie Mineur (GUE/NGL)

1. Is the Commission aware of the report in De Telegraaf of 5 April 2018, ‘Mensenrechtenactivist moet 15 jaar cel in’ (Human rights activist jailed for 15 years), what is its opinion of this report in relation to the free trade agreement with Vietnam, and what action is it prepared to take in response to the report[1]?

2. Does the Commission acknowledge that this recent conviction of six human rights defenders in Vietnam demonstrates the need for a fresh comprehensive human rights impact assessment of the trade agreement with Vietnam, in line with the statement of 26 March 2015 by the European Ombudsman?

3. Does the Commission agree that, if trade barriers between the EU and Vietnam continue to be dismantled without Vietnam’s having committed itself to international human rights agreements, the human rights situation in Vietnam may deteriorate yet further?

• [1] https://www.telegraaf.nl/nieuws/1878633/mensenrechtenactivist-moet-15-jaar-cel-in