European Parliament trade delegation in Taiwan next week 

Press Releases 
 
 

A delegation of the International Trade Committee visits Taiwan between 19 and 21 December to discuss EU-Taiwan trade and investment relations.

The seven-member delegation, led by Anna-Michelle Asimakopoulou (EPP, Greece), will meet President Ing-wen Tsai and Premier Tseng-chang Su, as well as the President of Legislative Yuan (assembly), Shyi-kun Yu. They will also hold talks with Foreign Minister Joseph Jaushieh Wu, Economic Minister Mei-Hua Wang and the Trade Representative of Taiwan, Minister John Deng.

The MEPs will also discuss with representatives of semiconductor sector, the European Chamber of Commerce and the Industrial Technology Research Institute. They will meet trade unions and environment, women’s rights and consumer organisations.

Members of the delegation

Anna-Michelle Asimakopoulou (EPP, Greece)

Jörgen Warborn (EPP, Sweden)

Kathleen Van Brempt (S&D, Belgium)

Marie-Pierre Vedrenne (Renew, France)

Karin Karlsbro (Renew, Sweden)

Michiel Hoogeveen (ECR, Netherlands)

Reinhard Bütikofer (Greens/EFA, Germany), Chair of the EP Delegation For Relations With China

Quote

“This official visit by the European Parliament is a reflection of the important role that Taiwan can play in some of the EU's long-term priorities. Right now, the EU continues to pursue its updated Indo-Pacific Strategy and is working to enforce the resilience of our supply chains for key products like semiconductors. As members of the Committee on International Trade, we want to focus on how we can build on our existing trading relationship and to discuss areas where we think we can boost investments across our respective jurisdictions,” said Anna-Michelle Asimakopoulou ahead of the visit.

Background

The Committee on International Trade is the second EP committee that visits Taiwan following last year’s visit by the Special Committee on Foreign Interference.

Parliament has been repeatedly calling for closer relations with Taiwan, most recently in a resolution in September 2022.

Trade between the EU and Taiwan has doubled in the past decade and in 2021, Taiwan was the 12th trading partner of the EU. Since 2002, Taiwan has been a member of the World Trade Organisation.