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EU resolution
supports Taiwan ties
ECONOMIC COOPERATION: While not legally binding,
the resolution is a positive step toward Taiwan¡¦s signing of a Trade Enhancement
Measures agreement with Europe
By Shih Hsiu-chuan / Staff Reporter
The European Parliament on Wednesday approved a resolution that ¡§strongly
supports¡¨ the enhancement of EU-Taiwan economic ties and the signing of an EU-Taiwan
economic cooperation agreement, a move an official said would help the EU
identify Taiwan as a priority country in negotiating a free-trade agreement (FTA).
The resolution provides a boost to efforts by Taiwan and the European Chamber of
Commerce Taipei to sign an EU-Taiwan Trade Enhancement Measures (TEM) agreement.
¡§Despite not being legally binding, the resolution shows that the European
Parliament attaches great importance to Taiwan and sends a message to the
European Council that the relationship between the EU and Taiwan is not an issue
to be left out in its foreign and security policy toward Asia,¡¨ said James Lee
(§õ¥ú³¹), director-general of European affairs at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
A total of 87 resolutions were attached by the European Parliament in the annual
report from the European Council on the main aspects and basic choices of the
Common Foreign and Security Policy in 2009, a general foreign policy guideline
for EU member states.
Resolution No. 76 states that the European Parliament welcomes the steps taken
by the parties on both sides of the Taiwan Strait, which resulted in the signing
of about 15 agreements, including the Economic Cooperation Framework Agreement (ECFA)
and an agreement on intellectual property rights.
¡§Given that the expansion of cross-strait economic relations is in the interest
of both sides and of the EU, [the European Parliament] strongly supports the
enhancement of EU-Taiwan economic ties and the signing of an EU-Taiwan economic
cooperation agreement,¡¨ the resolution said.
The adoption of the resolution was a positive step forward for Taiwan¡¦s signing
of a TEM with Europe. It also comes ahead of the scheduled implementation of an
EU-South Korea FTA on July 1, Lee said.
As a high percentage of South Korea¡¦s exports to the EU overlap with Taiwan¡¦s,
it is imperative that Taiwan sign a TEM with Europe to ensure the
competitiveness of Taiwanese products, Lee said.
However, Taiwan has yet to be placed on a list of Asian countries to sign FTAs
with Europe, which currently focuses on South Korea, India and ASEAN.
In related news, Taiwan is one of the 18 countries and territories in which the
UK will add diplomatic staff, British Foreign Secretary William Hague said in a
statement on Wednesday regarding a new strategic shift for the British Foreign
and Commonwealth Office (FCO) overseas network.
Hague said the UK would open new embassies in El Salvador, Kyrgyzstan and South
Sudan, as well as in Madagascar and Somalia, when the local situations
stabilize.
More diplomats will also be sent to China and India to increase British
influence with the rising powers of the 21st century, Hague said.
The planned increase in diplomatic staff in Taiwan came as the UK and Taiwan
engage in robust bilateral relations in a broad range of areas such as trade,
tourism, education and bilateral cooperation on climate change, said Margaret
Tongue, deputy director of the British Trade and Cultural Office.
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