VP/HR — Organ harvesting from prisoners of conscience in China
14.6.2016
Question for written answer E-004813-16
to the Commission (Vice-President/High Representative)
Rule 130
Ian Hudghton (Verts/ALE)
A group of concerned constituents have contacted me with regard to the ongoing practice of harvesting organs from executed prisoners of conscience in China, particularly Falun Gong practitioners.
The EU-China 2020 Strategic Agenda for Cooperation states that both parties commit to ‘deepen exchanges on human rights at the bilateral and international level on the basis of equality and mutual respect’[1].
At the 33rd EU-China Human Rights Dialogue in December 2014, the EU welcomed China's decision to cease the forceful removal of organs from executed prisoners following the apparent closure of 40 organ transplant centres as of January 2015[2].
But, without credible published data or a transparent audit system in China, estimates vary as to how many transplants occur each year[3]. Inaccurate death penalty figures throughout China further compounds this problem.
The EU intends for ‘the Dialogue to achieve more tangible improvements in the human rights situation on the ground’[4].
With respect to the 34th EU-China Human Rights Dialogue of December 2015:
- —Did the VP/HR reiterate the EU's position that the Chinese authorities should halt the practice of harvesting organs from executed prisoners in China?
- —Does the VP/HR intend to raise this issue at the 35th EU-China Human Rights Dialogue?
- [1] http://eeas.europa.eu/china/docs/20131123_agenda_2020__en.pdf
- [2] http://www.europarl.europa.eu/RegData/etudes/STUD/2016/542201/IPOL_STU(2016)542201_EN.pdf
- [3] http://jme.bmj.com/content/early/2016/05/04/medethics-2016-103533.full.pdf?keytype=ref&ijkey=ZxEB0QIPU6j7BJA
- [4] http://eeas.europa.eu/delegations/china/eu_china/political_relations/humain_rights_dialogue/index_en.htm