European Parliament resolution on Macao
Date: 1999-12-16
Institutions: European Parliament
Subjects: China, EU relations, Macao, cooperation agreement (EU), economic relations, trade agreement (EU)

C 296/190

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

18.10.2000

Thursday 16 December 1999

6. Macao

B5-0328, 0355, 0358, 0388, 0389 and 0391/1999

European Parliament resolution on Macao

The European Parliament

(cid:1) having regard to the Commission communication to the Council on ‘The European Union and Macao:

Beyond 2000’ (COM(1999) 484),

(cid:1) having regard to its resolution of 12 June 1997 on the Commission communication on a long-term

policy for China-Europe relations (1),

A. whereas Macao was the first point of permanent contact established by Europe with the Far East, as

early as the mid-sixteenth century,

B. whereas Macao is a symbol of almost five centuries of peaceful coexistence between the civilisations of

Europe and China, as well as being synonymous with the promotion of China’s external trade,

C. whereas the European Union and Macao share the same values and similar legal concepts as a natural

legacy of the cultural influence stemming from the Portuguese presence over the last four centuries,

D. whereas on 20 December 1999 the administration of the territory of Macao will be transferred from

Portugal to the People’s Republic of China,

E. whereas the Joint Portuguese-Chinese Declaration of 1987 and the Basic Law of 1993 guarantee that
after the transfer of sovereignty the existing social and economic system of Macao and its way of life
will remain unaltered,

F. whereas over the period of Portuguese administration of Macao the territory developed at a constant
rhythm and whereas the European Union can and must play a crucial role in the future in encoura-
ging stability and progress in what is shortly to become the Special Administrative Region of Macao,

G. whereas the Joint Portuguese-Chinese Declaration of 1987 and the Basic Law lay down that the future
Special Administrative Region of Macao, to be created on 20 December 1999, will enjoy a high
degree of autonomy in all its spheres of responsibility (except external relations and defence), and
that it will have independent executive, legislative and judicial powers, to be exercised by its own
inhabitants without interference from the central authorities of the People’s Republic of China,

H. welcoming the provisions of the Joint Portuguese-Chinese Declaration and the Basic Law concerning
the promotion and defence of the rights and freedoms of the people of Macao, while nonetheless
noting that the effective preservation of those rights and freedoms, under the principle ’one country,
two systems’, must be ensured by constant respect for the rule of law on the part of the future Execu-
tive of the Special Administrative Region of Macao,

I.

J.

convinced, in this connection, that the future Executive of the Special Administrative Region of Macao
will have every intention of preparing the reports which it should draw up under the terms of the
International Pact on Civil and Political Rights and the International Pact on Economic, Social and
Cultural Rights, whose continuing validity in Macao has been guaranteed, and noting the undertaking
of the Government of the People’s Republic of China to submit those reports to the UN’s Commission
on Human Rights and its Commission on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights,

firmly believing that protecting, safeguarding and deepening the framework which has been estab-
lished in Macao and which stems from the laborious consultation process between Portugal and the
People’s Republic of China over the last 12 years are conditional upon maintaining and increasing the
stability and prosperity of the territory (the future Special Administrative Region) and contribute sig-
nificantly to maintaining balance in the region as a whole,

(1) OJ C 200, 30.6.1997, p. 158.

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Official Journal of the European Communities

C 296/191

Thursday 16 December 1999

K. having regard to the Trade and Cooperation Agreement between the European Union and Macao
which has been in force since 1993, the intentions of each party to the agreement, the various coop-
eration programmes introduced in key sectors and the fact that Macao (a territory with strong eco-
nomic potential of its own and a major gateway to every part of a particularly dynamic region) will
continue to be an autonomous customs territory against a background in which the European Union
is Macao’s second-largest trading partner and third-largest investor,

L.

believing that the Portuguese presence in Macao and the strong links existing between the EU and
Macao will enable it to serve as a natural platform for access by the Union to the region, as well as
reinforcing Macao’s role within the region of which it is part,

1.
Notes the terms of the 1987 Sino-Portuguese Joint Declaration and the Basic Law of the Macao
Special Administrative Region (SAR) and draws attention to the relevant guarantees concerning the auton-
omy of the SAR, the preservation of the legal system based on the principles of constitutional government,
the upholding and development of the human rights and basic freedoms of the people and the continua-
tion of Macao’s social and economic systems, way of life and cultural identity in accordance with the
principle of ‘one country, two systems,’ and the safeguarding and further strengthening of the stability
and prosperity of the territory;

2. Welcomes the Commission communication to the Council on ‘The European Union and Macao:
Beyond 2000’, takes due note of its content and endorses all of its conclusions, and applauds in particular
the Commission’s proposal to publish, from the year 2000 onwards, an annual report on EU-Macao rela-
tions and to regard Macao as one of the main topics of the political dialogue between the European Union
and the People’s Republic of China;

3.
Calls on the Commission and Council to use all the instruments at their disposal (cid:1) political dialogue,
trade, investment, cooperation and cultural relations (cid:1) to help Macao preserve its autonomy and its way
of life and identity, which the Joint Portuguese-Chinese Declaration has undertaken to defend, with par-
ticular reference to constitutional government, the upholding of human rights and basic freedoms (includ-
ing cultural tolerance and freedom of religion and worship) and the genuine autonomy of the SAR and its
constituent bodies (within both the Executive and the SAR’s own independent legislative and judicial sys-
tems), the preservation of which is inseparable from the principle of ‘one country, two systems’, and urges
the European Union to keep a close watch to ensure the full implementation of these provisions;

Is convinced that the preservation of Macao’s particular culture and of its people’s identity, which the

4.
EU must encourage, is a cornerstone of its autonomy and future prosperity;

5. Welcomes the fact that the Joint Portuguese-Chinese Declaration guarantees the continuity of the
existing legal system, based on the legislative structures of mainland Europe and the principle of the rule
of law, together with the existence of an independent judiciary, including the final court of appeal;

6. Welcomes the continuation, after the transfer of powers, of the EU-Macao Trade and Cooperation
Agreement of 1993, which provides a permanent framework for direct dialogue between the Macao SAR
and the European Union, in particular thanks to the preservation of the structures created by that agree-
ment, including the annual Joint Committee;

Calls on the EU and its Member States to develop closer economic and trade relations with Macao,
7.
making good use of the potential of a promising economy, as already manifested by the territory over the
period of transition between the Portuguese administration and that of the People’s Republic of China, and
as will be the case in the future; stresses the factors of economic and financial autonomy and the fact that
Macao is a separate customs territory;

8.
Urges the EU to support the international autonomy of the Macao SAR, by negotiating directly with
Macao as an international partner in the areas of its autonomy, promoting Macao’s participation in inter-
national organisations and forums in line with its status, and keeping a close watch on the application of
international instruments to Macao;

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Thursday 16 December 1999

In this context calls on the Chinese National People’s Congress to ratify the UN Covenant on Civil

9.
and Political Rights signed by China in 1998;

Urges the Commission to find ways to strengthen and consolidate Macao civil society and to pro-

10.
mote and further develop the multiparty system and democratic institutions;

11.
Urges all the Member States to exempt passport holders of the Macao SAR from visa requirements,
since this would make a significant contribution to the preservation of Macao’s way of life and would
strengthen and facilitate economic and other contacts, as well as testifying to the Union’s confidence in
Macao’s future;

12.
Expresses its commitment to regularly monitoring developments in Macao after 20 December
1999, on the basis of close exchange of information and interinstitutional cooperation, analysing and
debating the regular reports to be submitted and evaluating developments in the area of rights, freedoms
and guarantees and all aspects of current circumstances related to Macao, in the context of the changing
shape of international relations as regards the Far East and the new prospects being opened up in that
region in all the abovementioned spheres, and also any new circumstances that may arise from China’s
entry into the WTO and the qualitative evolution and/or alteration of its relations with the US;

13.
Urges the members of its delegation for relations with the People’s Republic of China, in particular,
to be aware of the issues raised in the foregoing paragraphs at all times when carrying out their duties, and
to ensure, whenever appropriate and necessary, that assessment and monitoring of these issues form part
of the agenda of the relevant interparliamentary meetings;

Is convinced that it is necessary to set up its own contact and interrelationship group, with a view

14.
to the permanent monitoring of developments in Macao;

Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Council, the Commission, the governments
15.
of the Member States, the Government of the People’s Republic of China and the Government of the
Special Administrative Region of Macao.

7. Revision of the financial perspective

A5-0103/1999

European Parliament resolution on the proposal for a decision of the European Parliament and of
the Council concerning the revision of the financial perspective annexed to the Interinstitutional
Agreement of 6 May 1999 on budgetary discipline and improvement of the budgetary procedure
(SEC(1999) 1647 1 C5-0322/1999) and on the proposal for a decision of the European Parliament
and of the Council concerning the mobilisation of the flexibility instrument (paragraph 24 of the
Interinstitutional Agreement of 6 May 1999 on budgetary discipline and improvement of the bud-
getary procedure) (SEC(1999) 1647 1 C5-0314/1999)

The European Parliament,

(cid:1) having regard to the Interinstitutional Agreement of 6 May 1999 on budgetary discipline and

improvement of the budgetary procedure (1),

(cid:1) having regard to the proposals from the Commission to the budgetary authority (SEC(1999) 1647 (cid:1)

C5-0322/1999 and C5-0314/1999),

(cid:1) having regard to the outcome of the Trialogue of 18 November 1999,

(cid:1) having regard to the results of the conciliation meeting of 25 November 1999 with the Council,

(cid:1) having regard to the deliberations of the extraordinary meeting of the Committee on Budgets of

1 December 1999,

(cid:1) having regard to the report of the Committee on Budgets (A5-0103/1999),

(1) OJ C 172, 18.6.1999, p. 1.