Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2000-06-14-Speech-3-216"
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"en.20000614.9.3-216"2
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"Mr President, Mr President-in-Office, Commissioner Patten, ladies and gentlemen, my fellow members have already picked up on the main points. Permit me, therefore, to address just a few aspects.
The European Union has achieved a number of successes, mainly thanks to Commissioner Lamy, who really has achieved some resounding successes. But this also applies of course to the United States, and the same will apply to the other countries due to enter into negotiations.
In my view, one important point will be not just be to help China integrate into the world economy – it has already more or less done that – but also to help this country take a further step towards the general democratisation of its society. We have been able to follow what is at stake in all the discussions, in the leading world press and in the lively debate between economists on the matter, but the crucial question is: what will actually happen once China becomes a member of the WTO? Will it mark the beginning of a further opening of society? Will it mark the beginning of a new round in politics? Will it result in institutional reforms in China? And, of course, will there also be a further opening of the market? These are the really crucial and exciting questions which we face. I am sure that it is in the minds of all the honourable members who have spoken and I believe that it is my group’s opinion, that we should use this opening and the integration of China into the World Trade Organisation to help it make a quantum leap.
However, we must not fool ourselves, we must not harbour any illusions, and we must insist that the WTO rules are in fact upheld, because this is, of course, the crux of the matter. This is where we really will have to get down to brass tacks during further discussions with the Commission. Because the package negotiated is extremely comprehensive and includes highly critical and sensitive sectors. Critical voices are already being heard on the part of industry to the effect that success is all well and good, but ex-post control of implementation is equally important. I think that we will be able to count on good collaboration here, so that this form of implementation can be monitored by Parliament and Parliament can be kept abreast of current developments.
One further point which I should like to address, and which I think is highly important, is our hope that with the opening of the market and with the further opening of society in China, greater respect will be given to human rights. Human rights are a fundamental element of a modern society. I think that this a point which we cannot allow to be sidelined, even in talks, even if they do not form a substantial part of purely economic negotiations. I think that you have always set particular store by this. Nonetheless, it is important that this point be reiterated constantly."@en1
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