European Parliament likely to pass motion to freeze European Investment Agreement with China

The European Parliament is expected to pass a motion today pushing to formally freeze the European Investment Agreement with China in the wake of sanctions on EU lawmakers by Beijing.

 

According to Politico Magazine, the draft motion also calls on the European Union (EU) to step up coordination with the US to deal with China.

 

If passed, the vote is likely to deal a further blow to initial expectations that the deal could enter the ratification process in a few months' time.

 

Politico magazine reported that the draft was backed by the biggest political groupings.

 

The EU



Parliament will vote to urge that any consideration of the EU-China Comprehensive Agreement on Investment, as well as any discussion on ratification by the European Parliament, have justifiably been frozen because the Chinese sanctions are in place.

 

Early this year, Brussels had announced sanctions against officials involved in China's gross human rights violations against its ethnic Uyghur minority in its northwest Xinjiang region.

 

Beijing retaliated with its own sanctions on 10 EU individuals including five Members of the European Parliament and four entities.