In a press release issued by the European External Action Service (EEAS) on Tuesday 19 March, the European Union expressed its concern at the adoption of the ‘Safeguarding National Security Bill’ by Hong Kong’s Legislative Council on the same day.
This legislation – which severely punishes offences such as treason, sedition, theft of state secrets and espionage – could exacerbate the erosion of fundamental freedoms and political pluralism in Hong Kong brought about, in particular, by the National Security Law adopted on 30 June 2020 (see EUROPE 12538/10), the EEAS said.
It could also have an impact on EU activities in Hong Kong, on EU citizens, organisations and businesses, and could jeopardise the city’s status as an international business hub.
The EU is concerned about the significantly increased penalties provided for in the Bill, its broad definitions of foreign interference and state secrets, its extraterritorial reach and its retroactive applicability.
It urges the Hong Kong and Chinese authorities to protect the rights of the people and “to strengthen confidence in the Special Administrative Region’s high degree of autonomy under the ‘one country, two systems’ principle, in line with the Basic Law and with international commitments by which they are bound”. (Original version in French by Pauline Denys)