WRITTEN QUESTION E-1560/02 by Klaus-Heiner Lehne (PPE-DE) to the Commission. The Commission's policy on China.
Date: 2002-06-03
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: China, EU Member State, EU financing, aid programme, cooperation policy, coordination of aid, illegal migration, legal cooperation, rule of law

C 52 E/78

Official Journal of the European Union

EN

6.3.2003

the EU continues to press on the Palestinian Authority to improve internal financial management and
control. The Commission has insisted on monitoring by the IMF. The Council believes that these are
important messages which must be conveyed to the Palestinians also in the future. Any reform of the
Palestinian Authority will also have to address these issues.

(2003/C 52 E/088)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1560/02

by Klaus-Heiner Lehne (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(3 June 2002)

Subject: The Commission’s policy on China

I learn from the Commission’s internal communication on its strategy towards China that under the
current programme a total of EUR 50 million is earmarked for improving the development of the rule of
law and civil society in the People’s Republic of China.

Therefore, the following questions:

1. What measures (indicated by means of key words and examples) are being funded with this EUR 50

million?

2.

Is there any cooperation with the similar programmes of the EU Member States, for example the
Federal Republic of Germany’s law programme?

3. To what institutions and organisations is the implementation of this measure entrusted?

4. How have these projects gone?

Answer given by Mr Patten on behalf of the Commission

(18 July 2002)

In line with the Commission’s overall policy objectives towards China, support for good governance
1.
and strengthening of the rule of law constitutes one of the three cooperation priorities of the China
Country Strategy Paper 2002-2006 adopted by the Commission on 1 March 2002. In the National
Indicative Programme 2002-2004 which is part of the Country Strategy, an amount of EUR 30 million has
been allocated to this priority.

Two programme proposals have been defined in this connection. The first one aims at combating illegal
migration and the trafficking in human beings between China and Europe. This programme may include
awareness raising activities targeting vulnerable groups, actions to improve capacities of Chinese and EU
officials to detect and prevent illegal migration, and actions to promote exchange of information and
research. Discussions between the Commission and China are at their initial stage.

The second proposal aims at supporting the newly developing sectors of civil society in China.

These two new programmes follow on from a number of ongoing projects in the same area such as the
EU-China Legal and Judicial Cooperation Programme (EUR 13,2 million),
the EU-China Training
Programme on Village Governance (EUR 10,7 million),
the Human Rights Small Project Facility
(EUR 0,84 million) and the EU-China Network for the Ratification and Implementation of UN Human
Rights Covenants (EUR 1,4 million).

Several Member States,

2.
including Germany, have projects in the area of Good Governance and
Strengthening of the Rule of law in their bilateral assistance programmes with China. Coordination
between EC assistance and bilateral assistance from Member States is a key feature of the China Country

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Official Journal of the European Union

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Strategy and takes place on a regular basis between the Commission Delegation and Member State
Embassies in Beijing. With respect to legal programmes in particular, the EU-China Legal and Judicial
Programme focuses on a general introduction to European law and legal systems, including administrative,
commercial and criminal law. Bilateral assistance programmes between Member States and China are more
suited to in-depth practical studies of their respective legal systems.

3.
The Commission Delegation in Beijing is responsible for the implementation of projects in the
context of the China Country Strategy. Concerning the two above mentioned new programme proposals
provide for the National Indicative Programme, the structure and modalities for implementation are still to
be defined. As to the EU-China Legal and Judicial Cooperation programme, day-to-day management has
been entrusted to the British Council. More detailed information on the status of project implementation is
available on the Delegation’s website (1).

The projects mentioned above are,

4.
final
evaluations are not yet available. Programmes envisaged under the China Country Strategy for 2003(cid:1)2006
have not yet been launched but will be subject to close monitoring and evaluation by the Commission.

in general, proceeding in a satisfactory manner, but

(1) http://www.delchn.cec.eu.int/en/Co-operation/Project_Fiches.htm.

(2003/C 52 E/089)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1565/02

by Maurizio Turco (NI) to the Commission

(3 June 2002)

Subject: Syria

In his answer to Question P-0634/02 (1), Mr Patten states, among other things, that ‘it is the Commission’s
firm belief that a dialogue on human rights will be more effective when conducted in the framework of a
binding Association Agreement’. He also states the following: ‘a future European Union-Syria Association
Agreement will refer to human rights as an essential element in European Union-Syrian relations and it
will be designed to foster common objectives expressed in the Barcelona Declaration (2), such as developing
the rule of
free trade and sustainable development.
for human rights,
The Commission will stress issues of reform in the MEDA cooperation programme.’

law and democracy, respect

Does the Commission consider that it can remain optimistic about the necessary democratisation of Syria
in the light of what has emerged, following the accident which occurred on 24 March 2002 in Homs,
regarding the close technical and military cooperation between the Syrian and Iraqi governments in
building missiles with ranges of more than 500 km?

More generally, is the Commission not concerned at the fact that a country which is now a member of the
UN Security Council, thanks notably to the key support provided by the EU and its Member States, can
violate the UN resolutions on Iraq in such a shameless manner?

Lastly, will the Commission indicate how far it intends to go in its optimistic and ‘positive’ policy vis-à-vis
regimes which not only treat their own people in a totalitarian and repressive manner, but also constitute
such an obvious threat to international security and stability that they appear at the top of the black lists
of all international organisations?

(1) OJ C 277 E, 14.11.2002, p. 69.
(2) Adopted at the Euro-Mediterranean Conference (27 and 28 November 1995).