As part of the gradual and steady strengthening of a unified European Union, there have been efforts in the past few years to formulate a cohesive EU policy on China. This policy is still taking shape and has been quite tenuous with regard to the ongoing and serious human rights violations in China and Tibet. The EU-China human rights dialogue, for example, has not delivered any substantial progress since its inception in 1995.
ICT Europe concentrates on developing parliamentarian efforts and activity. By fueling a more committed political drive in the governmental bodies of the EU, ICT Europe is contributing to the work and momentum of other groups that bring recognition and support for the Tibetan cause.
ICT Europe fosters the development of a unified and effective European Union policy on Tibet to help ensure the human rights and fundamental freedoms of the Tibetan people. By monitoring events at the European Union level, such as the EU-China human rights dialogue, ICT Europe seeks to influence the European Union institutions' efforts to formulate a comprehensive European policy on China.
National Governments often use the EU-China dialogue as an excuse not to address the human rights situation in China in their own bilateral talks and within the EU common foreign policy. ICT Europe addresses this trend by encouraging individual governments to take up the issue of human rights in Tibet with Chinese leaders. ICT Europe emphasizes that an EU human rights dialogue with China should not prevent other European bilateral or multilateral initiatives on human rights in China and Tibet. Together with other human rights organizations in Europe, ICT Europe aims to help ensure that a European foreign policy on China and Tibet moves forward in a constructive and consistent manner.
ICT Europe also maintains regular contact and works closely with officials of the European Union Commission for External Affairs and individual governments to highlight gross and patent rights violations in Tibet. By facilitating a steady flow of information on Tibet and developing contact with members of the European Commission, the European Parliament and national parliaments, ICT Europe aims to bring about effective and tangible changes in support of the non-violent effort of His Holiness the Dalai Lama and the Tibetan Government-in-Exile.
