WRITTEN QUESTION E-3385/00 by Piia-Noora Kauppi (PPE-DE) to the Commission. Opportunities for internet companies in the People's Republic of China.
Date: 2000-11-03
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: China, Internet access provider, World Trade Organisation, common foreign and security policy, export restriction, extra-EU trade, freedom of communication, tariff negotiations

C 174 E/44

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

19.6.2001

(2001/C 174 E/044)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3384/00

by Piia-Noora Kauppi (PPE-DE) to the Council

(6 November 2000)

Subject: Opportunities for internet companies in the People(cid:146)s Republic of China

According to press reports the Chinese government has issued, within the space of a week, forty new
regulations concerning Internet companies operating in China. The new regulations limit foreign invest-
ments and also require the detailed filtering of (cid:145)subversive material(cid:146). The regulations threaten to close down
any firm which does not possess the licence required in the country.

According to the Chinese official news agency Xinhuan, Internet service providers are required to retain
information about the material they provide, and about all their customers, for 60 days. If necessary this
information must be sent to the Chinese authorities.

Business operators have 60 days to send private data about their activities to the Chinese ministry of
information in order to obtain an operating licence. Firms without such a licence will be fined or closed
down altogether.

How does the Council of the European Communities propose to act to protect the human rights of

1.
Chinese citizens, and in particular the freedom to transmit information?

The Chinese government is threatening to close down all Internet service providers which do not
2.
have the above-mentioned licence. Does the Council consider that this provision jeopardises the business
activities in China of operators from EU Member States?

How does the Council propose to take account of these new Chinese regulations in its WTO

3.
negotiations with China?

Reply

(26 February 2001)

like the Commission, will be keeping watch on implementation of

The Council,
the new Chinese
regulations applying to Internet companies operating in China to ensure that there is no discrimination
against European undertakings. Human rights violations, including unjustifiable restrictions on freedom of
expression and access to information, could be raised in the course of the EU-China dialogue on human
rights.

China has undertaken, in the context of the negotiations for its accession to the WTO, to consider the
gradual opening-up of its market to all telecommunications services,
including the Internet. Like the
Commission, the Council is endeavouring to ensure that China will abide by the commitments entered into
in the WTO context in all areas.

(2001/C 174 E/045)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3385/00

by Piia-Noora Kauppi (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(3 November 2000)

Subject: Opportunities for internet companies in the People(cid:146)s Republic of China

According to press reports the Chinese government has issued, within the space of a week, forty new
regulations concerning Internet companies operating in China. The new regulations limit foreign invest-
ments and also require detailed filtering for (cid:145)subversive material(cid:146). The regulations threaten to close down
any firm which does not possess the licence required in the country.

According to the Chinese official news agency Xinhuan, Internet service providers are required to retain
information about the material they provide, and about all their customers, for 60 days. If necessary this
information must be sent to the Chinese authorities.

19.6.2001

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 174 E/45

Business operators have 60 days to send private data about their activities to the Chinese ministry of
information in order to obtain an operating licence. Firms without such a licence will be fined or closed
down altogether.

How does the Commission of the European Communities propose to act to protect the human rights

1.
of Chinese citizens, and in particular the freedom to transmit information?

2.
The Chinese government is threatening to close down all Internet service providers which do not
have the above-mentioned licence. Does the Commission consider that this provision jeopardises the
business activities in China of operators from EU Member States?

How does the Commission propose to take account of these new Chinese regulations in its WTO

3.
negotiations with China?

Answer given by Mr Patten on behalf of the Commission

(8 December 2000)

The Commission is aware of China(cid:146)s recent introduction of new regulations governing the operations of
Internet companies within China and shares some of the concerns expressed by the Honourable Member.

The Commission will monitor the implementation of the new regulations. Any infringements of human
rights that come to light (cid:129) particularly with regard to the publication of news items (cid:129) could be raised, as
appropriate, in the framework of the EU-China human rights dialogue.

The rules appear to place a large responsibility on some internet-related operators to monitor either the
behaviour of their customers or the legality of the content that they may be hosting. It remains to be seen
how the cost of such monitoring will be met. The Commission will in any event check that the new
regulations are carried out in an objective and transparent manner, so that they do not discriminate against
Community operators.

The World Trade Organisation (WTO) negotiations have led China to commit itself to open its market
progressively for all telecommunications services. With regard to internet access or hosting services for
example, their supply by joint ventures partly held by foreign operators should be possible immediately
upon accession in a number of areas, with a limit upon the foreign participation in the joint venture.
There will be no limit on the areas and foreign participation will be allowed up to 50 %, two years after
China(cid:146)s WTO entry.

The Commission will, together with other partners, endeavour to ensure that China adheres to its WTO
commitments in all areas.

(2001/C 174 E/046)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3387/00

by Erik Meijer (GUE/NGL) to the Commission

(3 November 2000)

Subject: Persuading people to travel short distances by air on routes with frequent rail services

1.
Is the Commission aware that, in the Netherlands, the airline Air France advertises discounts for
frequent travellers on the Amsterdam-Paris route? Anyone who flies on the route five times is entitled a
free sixth flight.

2.
Is an advertising campaign of this kind compatible with the major investments made in the
construction of high-speed railway lines in the past 20 years, which, thanks to the provision of fast and
frequent trains from city centre to city centre, afford an alternative means of transport almost as quick as
flying, thus rendering air travel superfluous for passengers on short and middle-distance routes of up to
1 000 km?