(17/11/04) EP stemt rapport over toepassing gedragscode voor wapenuitvoer - Groenen tevreden over wapenembargo China

• 2004-11-17

Meer info over het de debatten van gisteren en vandaag over deze onderwerpen.

Toespraak van Eurocommissaris Patten over wapenembargo China.

EU code of conduct on arms exports:
Greens/EFA welcome developments on weapons sales and embargo on China

Following today's vote on arms exports and yesterday's plenary debate on the embargo on weapons sales to China, Raül Romeva i Rueda, Rapporteur on the fifth annual report on the EU code of conduct on arms exports, said:

"I welcome that MEPs today voted, in the most part, positively on my report; it is a success for both the European Parliament and the Green Group. The EU code of conduct on arms exports should now properly enter into force and become legally binding. The code was drawn up to ensure arms sales from EU countries do not fan the flames of conflict – or divert developing nations’ resources from the more crucial efforts to tackle poverty and human rights abuses. The Parliament voted to give the code additional legal strength today."

Angelika Beer, German MEP for Bündnis 90/Die Grünen, said:

"In debating the arms embargo on China, the European Parliament has sent a clear and urgent message to Member States; the embargo must stay. It is regrettable that our Group's amendment that directly addressed President Chirac and Chancellor Schröder on this issue was not accepted, but MEPs did vote in favour of maintaining the embargo until China has taken concrete steps towards improving its human rights situation by, among other things, ratifying the UN Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and by fully respecting the right of minorities."