MOTION FOR A RESOLUTION

11.12.2007

to wind up the debate on the statement by the Commission
pursuant to Rule 103(2) of the Rules of Procedure
by Vittorio Agnoletto
on behalf of the GUE/NGL Group
on the EU-China Human Rights Dialogue

B6‑0546/2007

European Parliament resolution on the EU-China Human Rights Dialogue

The European Parliament,

–  having regard to the Joint Statement of the 10th China-EU Summit, held in Beijing on 28 November 2007,

–  having regard to the rounds the of EU-China Dialogue on Human Rights held in Beijing on 17 October 2007 and in Berlin on 15 and 16 May 2007,

–  having regard to its resolution of 7 September 2006 on EU-China relations and to its previous resolutions on China,

–  having regard to Rule 103(2) of its Rules of Procedure,

A.  whereas any decision to initiate a human rights dialogue is taken on the basis of criteria adopted by the Council, notably taking into consideration the major concerns on the part of the EU about the human rights situation on the ground in the country concerned, a genuine commitment on the part of the authorities of that country, with regard to such dialogue, to improving the human rights situation on the ground, and the positive impact which a human rights dialogue may have on the human rights situation,

1.  Expresses its disappointment that human rights issues were not higher on the agenda of the EU-China Summit, in order to give more political weight to human rights concerns, and that the EU did not take the opportunity of the approach of the Olympics to address serious human rights concerns in China;

2.  Calls at the same time for greater coherence and consistency on human rights, trade, and security; urges the EU, therefore, to ensure that its trading relationship with China is contingent upon human rights reforms, and calls, in this regard, on the Council to make a comprehensive evaluation of the human rights situation;

3.  Emphasises the need to considerably strengthen and improve the EU-China human rights dialogue;

4.  Calls on the Council to continue to discuss intensively, in the context of the dialogue, matters of concern such as the ratification of the UN International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, reform of the criminal justice system, including the death penalty and the system of re-education through labour, freedom of expression, particularly on the Internet, freedom of the press, freedom of conscience, thought and religion, the situation of minorities in Tibet and Xinjiang, and workers’ and other social and economic rights;

5.  Calls on China, as a member of the UN Human Rights Council, to comply with the implementation of the recommendations of the UN special rapporteur on torture and to issue a standing invitation to China for UN experts;

6.  Regrets the fact that no substantial progress has been made regarding the release of political prisoners incarcerated for their involvement in demonstrations;

7.  Stresses the need to continue to organise the EU-China legal seminar on human rights, which have in the past preceded the dialogue, with the participation of academic and civil society representatives; in this regard, takes note of the establishment of an EU-China Human Rights Academic Network, and calls on the Commission to ensure that this network will effectively function in cooperation with the European Parliament;

8.  Reminds the Commission and Parliament of the need to re-examine the possibility of including Members of the European Parliament and of the Chinese People's National Congress in the delegations participating in the dialogue;

9.  Is deeply concerned at the recent increase in political persecution related to the Olympics, affecting human rights defenders, journalists, lawyers, petitioners and civil society activists, who are being detained in camps or mental hospitals or kept under house arrest; calls on the Chinese authorities to put an end to these human rights violations;

10.  Calls on China to take concrete steps to grant freedom of expression, and to respect freedom of the press, both for Chinese and foreign journalists; raises particular concerns about the lack of implementation of the new regulation on international journalists active in China, and urges the Chinese authorities to immediately stop censoring and blocking the thousands of news and information websites based abroad; calls for the release of all journalists, Internet users and cyber-dissidents detained in China for exercising their right to information;

11.  Calls on the International Olympic Committee to ensure that China lives up to its promises of granting media freedom and other fundamental rights to its population;

12.  Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Council, the Commission, and the Parliament and Government of the People's Republic of China.