EU Parliament supports an Economic Cooperation Agreement with Taiwan
All Taipei newspapers | May 12, 2011
EU Parliament Supports an Economic Cooperation Agreement with Taiwan
The European Parliament unanimously adopted a resolution yesterday to “strongly support” the concluding of an economic cooperation agreement between Taiwan and the European Union (EU). The European Parliament also reiterated its support for Taiwan’s participation as an observer in relevant international organizations and activities, such as the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), the World Health Organization (WHO), and the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO).
According to the Foreign Ministry, this was the second resolution adopted by the European Parliament to support Taiwan’s meaningful participation as an observer in international organizations and activities, the first such resolution having been adopted on March 10, 2010. This was also the first time the European Parliament gave strong support for the concluding of a Taiwan-EU economic cooperation agreement by adopting a formal resolution, which fully demonstrated the European Parliament’s long-term affirmation and friendly support of Taiwan.
The Foreign Ministry issued a press release yesterday evening to express Taiwan’s gratitude to the European Parliament. According to the press release, the Foreign Ministry stressed that the EU’s resolution showed that the government’s efforts to seek EU assistance in terms of the recent dispute over an internal WHO memo downgrading our sovereignty had been successful. The Foreign Ministry also instructed its representative office at Brussels to request that following the resolution, the EU proactively assist us in relevant arrangements for Taiwan’s participation in the World Health Assembly (WHA) and the International Health Regulations (IHR).
