Twenty years after Hong Kong was returned to China, the European Parliament called on the European Commission on Wednesday 13 December to boost bilateral dialogue with the Hong Kong government.
According to a report by Alyn Smith (Greens/EFA, United Kingdom) adopted by the European Parliament by 490 to 82, with 17 abstentions, stronger dialogue could take place as part of the annual structured dialogue between the EU and Hong Kong in various action domains, such as democracy, fundamental rights, the rule of law, trade, investment, financial services, customs, the environment, climate change, research and education.
Adopting an amendment from the GUE/NGL by 344 to 251 with 19 abstentions, Parliament calls for proposals to be rapidly submitted to it on how cooperation with the Hong Kong authorities can be developed in terms of fiscal transparency, including the automatic exchange of information and implementation of the raft of measures on erosion of the tax base and the transfer of profits (BEPS). It calls on Hong Kong to take measures to tackle tax evasion and fraud.
The MEPS say the EU must ask the governments of Hong Kong and China to breathe new life into reform of universal suffrage in order to achieve a fair, democratic, open and transparent election system. (Original version in French by Camille-Cerise Gessant)