MEPs warned, on Thursday 20 May, that any consideration of the EU-China Comprehensive Agreement on Investment was conditional on the lifting of sanctions imposed by Beijing on EU entities, MEPs and national MPs “without prejudice to the final outcome of the ratification process” of the agreement (see EUROPE 12708/6).
China adopted measures on 22 March against, notably, the Political and Security Committee of the Council of the EU, the European Parliament Sub-Committee on Human Rights and five MEPs (see EUROPE 12683/1).
In the resolution adopted by the S&D, Greens/EFA, Renew Europe, ECR and EPP groups (599 in favour, 30 against and 58 abstentions), the European Parliament condemns, in the strongest terms, the “unfounded and arbitrary” sanctions imposed by China, calling for their immediate lifting.
According to MEPs, because of these sanctions, the freeze on both the consideration of the EU-China agreement and of any discussion on its ratification by the European Parliament is justified. The Parliament “expects the Commission to consult it before taking steps towards the conclusion and signature of the investment agreement”.
MEPs also warn that they will take into account the human rights situation in China, including Hong Kong, when the European Parliament is asked to approve the agreement.
The Parliament also says that there is an urgent need to rebalance EU-China relations through a range of autonomous measures. These include legislation against the distorting effects of foreign subsidies on the internal market, supply chain regulation, which prohibits the import of goods produced by forced labour, or additional targeted measures under the EU’s global human rights sanctions regime. According to the MEPs, China’s cyber threats and hybrid attacks must be properly addressed.
See the resolution: https://bit.ly/3f38Fzj (Original version in French by Camille-Cerise Gessant)