MOTION FOR A RESOLUTION
11.12.2007
pursuant to Rule 103(2) of the Rules of Procedure
by Hannes Swoboda and Pasqualina Napoletano
on behalf of the PSE Group
on the EU/China Summit - EU/China human rights dialogue
B6‑0543/2007
European Parliament resolution on the EU/China Summit - EU/China human rights dialogue
The European Parliament,
– having regard to the 10th EU/China Summit, which took place in Beijing on 28 November 2007, and to the Joint Declaration adopted,
– having regard to its two most recent interparliamentary meetings with China, which took place in Beijing and Tibet in June 2007 and in Strasbourg in September 2007,
– having regard to its recent resolutions on China, and in particular its resolution of 7 September 2006 on EU/China relations,
– having regard to the rounds of the EU/China Dialogue on Human Rights, held in Beijing on 17 October 2007 and in Berlin on 15-16 May 2007,
– having regard to Rule 103(2) of its Rules of Procedure,
A. whereas the EU/China strategic partnership is of great importance for relations between EU and China, and whereas a genuine partnership must be based on shared common values,
B. whereas democratic values, credibility, stability and responsibility should constitute the fundamental bases of the relationship between the EU and China,
C. whereas acceptance of the One China policy underpins respect for a peaceful resolution of the Taiwan question through constructive dialogue,
D. whereas the strengthening of the EU's relationship with China will be crucial in meeting global challenges such as climate change, security and non-proliferation of arms,
E. whereas 'sectorial cooperation' between the EU and China has grown considerably in recent years,
F. whereas trade relations and economic cooperation between the EU and China require reciprocal market access founded on the legal basis of the WTO rules, particularly with respect to the safety and security of products as well as to Intellectual Property Rights (IPR),
1. Welcomes the Joint Statement of the 10th EU/China Summit, in which both sides reaffirm their commitment to developing a comprehensive strategic partnership to meet global challenges;
2. Underlines the importance of the ongoing negotiations for a Partnership and Cooperation Agreement which will encompass the full scope of the EU/China relationship, including enhanced cooperation in political matters;
3. Calls for the stepping-up of the dialogue with China and other emerging countries, in order to build a stable and predictable global energy market, based on fair and transparent rules and aimed at a united effort in combating global warming and promoting sustainable development;
4. Considers that the pirating and counterfeiting of European products and brands by Chinese industries constitutes a serious violation of the international trading rules, urges the Chinese Authorities to considerably improve the protection of the IPR, and calls on China to uphold the current laws on the protection of IPR;
5. Emphasises the importance of concrete progress in the field of human rights, on the basis of the principles of equality and mutual respect that guide relations between EU and China;
6. Underlines the stress it lays on EU-China human rights dialogue, including the accompanying legal seminar; considers that the representation of NGOs and other civil actors is a valuable resource for all the parties involved in the EU-China political and human rights dialogue and should therefore be encouraged;
7. Considers that the matters discussed in the successive rounds of dialogue with China, such as ratification of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, reform of the criminal justice system, including the death penalty and the system of re-education through work, freedom of expression, particularly on the Internet, freedom of the press, freedom of access to information, freedom of conscience, thought and religion, the situation of minorities in Tibet, the release of detainees following the events in Tiananmen Square, and workers’ and other rights, must continue to be raised in the context of the dialogue, in particular with regard to the application of the recommendations resulting from previous dialogues mutually agreed upon by both parties and the seminars on legal affairs; to this end, calls on the Council to consider extending the time period of the dialogue and to allow more time for discussion of the issues raised;
8. Urges China to ratify the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) as soon as possible;
9. Calls on China to cooperate with the UN human rights mechanisms and to comply with the international human rights standards laid down in the relevant international human rights instruments, including the rights of minorities;
10. Welcomes the commitment to support the UN Human Rights Council in performing its function of addressing human rights issues in a credible, objective and non-selective manner, and calls for strengthened cooperation within the UN system;
11. Calls on China and the EU to increase the opportunities for two-way exchanges of information and strategies on the protection and promotion of human rights; considers that the Chinese people has an ever-growing demand for democracy and human rights, and stresses that although progress has been made in some fields, it is difficult to gauge precisely what impact the EU-China human rights dialogue has had on the changes that have taken place; emphasises the need to reframe the dialogue so as to make it more results-oriented;
12. Recommends that the human rights dialogue should not be treated as separate from the rest of Sino-European relations, but in the wider framework of the EU's political, economic and trade relations with China, including new areas for which global responsibility and cooperation is required, such as cooperation in the field of energy and combating climate changes;
13. Calls, in this regard, on the Council and Commission to carry out a comprehensive evaluation of the human rights situation before finalising the future Partnership and Cooperation Agreement;
14. Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Council, the Commission, the Governments and Parliaments of the Member States and of the accession and candidate countries, the Government of the People's Republic of China, and the Chinese National People's Congress.