WRITTEN QUESTION E-3192/02 by Salvador Garriga Polledo (PPE-DE) to the Commission. Chinese tourists in the European Union.
Date: 2002-11-08
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: China, EU relations, common commercial policy, tourism, tourism policy

15.1.2004

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 11 E/35

well as tourism officials. Since April 2000, the list of persons covered by the visa ban has been published
and a freeze has been imposed on funds held abroad by persons included in the list. The Common Position
was recently renewed until 29 April 2003.

As regards trade relations, Community trade privileges, normally granted to developing countries, were
withdrawn from Burma/Myanmar in 1997 because of forced labour. This also means that the country is
not eligible to benefit from the Union’s ‘Everything but Arms’ initiative, launched in 2001, notwithstanding
its status of least developed country.

The Commission strongly supports the International Labour Organisation’s (ILO) role in upholding labour
standards and the significant position it has taken on Burma/Myanmar in relation to the very serious
violation of convention 29 on forced labour. The Commission in common with the Member States has
supported the ILO in using to the maximum extend the procedures foreseen by the Constitution of the
ILO as regards the violation of convention 29 by Burma/Myanmar (Article 33 of the ILO Constitution).
The Commission has informed the ILO of the Union Common Position and the measures taken in that
context. The issue of forced labour has also been raised with the Burmese Government on several
occasions, during the Union Troika visits as well as in the Union-ASEAN dialogue.

The Commission, in common with the Member States, will continue to monitor the situation closely and,
should the authorities in Burma/Myanmar fail to take the necessary steps in this respect, the Commission
will be ready to propose further measures for consideration by the Council.

The Commission has adopted on 2 July 2002 a Communication on Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR).
The respect of fundamental rights at work by European companies, wherever they operate, is an important
issue in this Communication. The multi-stakeholders forum launched in October 2002 will also deal with
the development and international dimension of CSR.

The Commission supports the application of the revised (2000) Organisation for Economic Cooperation
and Development guidelines for multinational companies which are also covering the fundamental rights
at work. The Commission has recently also strengthened its cooperation with the ILO in order to promote
the application of core labour standards. In that context, a new exchange of letters has been signed
between the Commissioner responsible for Employment and Social affairs and the Director general of the
ILO, J. Somavia, on the 14 May 2001.

(2004/C 11 E/035)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3192/02

by Salvador Garriga Polledo (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(8 November 2002)

Subject: Chinese tourists in the European Union

According to the World Tourism Organisation (WTO) China will be the first tourist destination in the
world and the fourth source of tourists by 2020. National initiatives by the Member States of the EU in
their relations with China in the field of tourism led to agreements which have been nullified by
Community initiatives.

For this reason a global agreement needs to be negotiated between the European Union and China to take
account of the tourism development potential of such an enormous country, as well as the possible
implications of Chinese immigration in connection with Chinese tourism in the EU.

Can the Commission say what stage has been reached in negotiations between China and the European
Union in the overall context of tourism, in accordance with the negotiating brief it received from the
Council of Ministers and the various developments determined by the national initiatives of the Member
States outside the EU framework?

C 11 E/36

Official Journal of the European Union

EN

15.1.2004

Answer given by Mr Patten on behalf of the Commission

(6 December 2002)

In accordance with the mandate given by the Council of Ministers to the Commission on 16 September
2002 to negotiate an Authorised Destination Status Agreement (ADS) with China, the Commission has
formally requested the Chinese Government to initiate negotiations. In order for the Chinese Government
to start
the State Council has to grant Authorised Destination Status to the
Community. The Commission hopes that the ADS Status will be granted very soon in order to start formal
negotiations with China on this subject.

formal negotiations,

In the meantime a first round of informal discussions between the Commission and the Chinese National
Tourism Authority (CNTA) on a future Community ADS Agreement has taken place on 29 October 2002
in Beijing. On the basis of these discussions the Commission is preparing a draft text of the Agreement
which will be discussed with Member States in the near future.

In order to address the immigration issue in the context of the Chinese group tourism in the territory of
the Community,
the Commission is mandated to negotiate a readmission clause within the future
Community ADS Agreement with China.

It is a shared interest of both the Chinese Government, the Community and the Member States to conclude
a Community ADS Agreement as soon as possible. Awaiting the Community Agreement, bilateral
initiatives of Member States are currently not pursued any further.

(2004/C 11 E/036)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3193/02

by Salvador Garriga Polledo (PPE-DE) to the Commission

Subject: Cooperation between the European Union and the PAHO

(8 November 2002)

The recent election of Mirta Rodriguez Periago as Director of the Pan American Health Organisation
(PAHO), the oldest public health body in the world, has highlighted the invaluable work it carries out in
the context of scientific programmes and emergency programmes to tackle natural disasters.

The fact that the organisation’s main purpose is to promote solidarity in the Americas and worldwide and
enhance the well-being of the most disadvantaged sections of the population means that the European
Union’s aim must be to collaborate in providing assistance.

Can the Commission say what the European Union’s attitude has been as regards providing humanitarian
assistance to the Pan American Health Organisation (PAHO), and to what extent it might devise a special
cooperation programme to coordinate European Union aid in the context of this organisation?

Answer given by Mr Nielson on behalf of the Commission

(18 December 2002)

The Humanitarian Aid Office (ECHO) and its task force Dipecho (disaster preparedness) collaborates with
the Pan American Health Organisation (PAHO)
in the field of disaster preparedness capacities and
programmes. ECHO and PAHO recently held a joint seminar on this topic in Brussels.

From the development perspective in the Latin American Region, the Commission is shifting from project
to programme and sector support approach. This approach is also pertinent in the situation where many
Latin American countries are engaged in health sector reforms. This sector dialogue in the context of the
health sector reform is already taking place, to different degrees, in Bolivia, Ecuador, Peru, Guatemala and
Barbados. The Commission holds discussions at country level with the PAHO, as a key player in the region
supporting health sector reform.