“Continue co-operation with, and support for, the newly created [European Union] Chamber of Commerce in China, whose 200 members will be one of the most important means of monitoring adherence to [World Trade Organization] commitments.”
EU Strategy towards China: Implementation of the 1998 Communication and Future Steps for a more Effective EU Policy, 2001, European Commission
On 15th May 2001, the European Commission adopted a Communication on the EU’s Strategy towards China, which was an update of the 1998 Communication. The European Chamber was mentioned in one of the action items
“Continue co-operation with, and support for, the newly created EU Chamber of Commerce in China, whose 200 members will be one of the most important means of monitoring adherence to WTO commitments.”
The Rt Hon. Chris Patten, then Commissioner for External Relations, delivered a speech at the European Chamber’s event ‘EU-China Relations: time for a fresh look’ on 21st May 2001 in Beijing
“I first met the European Chamber 18 months ago at the time of the second EU-China Summit. Your organisation was a fragile and tender shoot at the time, only recently established. I am pleased to see that you are now blooming and have even burst into flower on the internet. Your membership has doubled, and you have 15 budding sectoral working groups. These are already—and will be increasingly—useful to the Commission in providing input for our discussions with the Chinese authorities on trade issues.”
He later mentioned the European Chamber’s particularly valuable role in closely monitoring China’s implementation of its WTO commitments, and strengthening the EU-China business-to-business dialogue.
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