International Campaign for Tibet - Brussels Office

Policy Recommendations

As a policy-focused organisation, the International Campaign for Tibet seeks to engage policymakers from governments, parliaments, NGOs and think-tanks, as well as the various UN bodies. As guiding principles for our advocacy work, the International Campaign for Tibet firmly believes:

  1. That a non-violent solution to the Tibetan problem is achievable;
  2. That a path to such a solution can be established by the Chinese Government and representatives of the Central Tibetan Administration;
  3. That international engagement can facilitate that process.

In order to assist policymakers and government officials, the International Campaign for Tibet gives the following recommendations:

Recommendations to the European Union and its Member States

  • Adopt a more ambitious, strategized and coordinated position of the 27 EU Member States on human rights in China and Tibet, including regarding the legitimacy for EU institutions and EU Member States’ representatives and leaders to welcome and meet with the Dalai Lama in whatever manner they deem appropriate
  • Actively and concretely promote the resumption of the Sino-Tibetan dialogue, which has been stalled since 2010, as the only way to contribute to a durable resolution of the crisis in Tibet and to the improvement of the human rights situation of Tibetan people
  • Ensure that the EU Special Representative for Human Rights monitors and reports regularly on the situation of human rights in the People’s Republic of China, in particular with regard to Tibet
  • Support national and EU development/assistance projects in favor of Tibetan people in areas such as education, work force development, environmental protection and sustainable development
  • Review the EU-China Human Rights Dialogue, which should be a more regular, high-level and result-oriented platform
  • Adopt a common position on the issue of reciprocal access to Tibet for European officials (diplomats, members of Parliaments…), journalists and citizens
  • Adopt a common position recognizing the right of Tibetan Buddhists Communities to select, educate and install their religious leaders, such as preeminent Tibetan Buddhist Lamas like the Dalai Lama, without government interference
  • Utilize all appropriate international and bilateral forums, including the UN Human Rights Council, bilateral and high-level meetings, and Human Rights Dialogues, to press the government of China on the situation in Tibet, and increase international coordination, cooperation and joint initiative with like-minded countries on the issue

Recommendations to Members of the European Parliament

  • Reestablish and join the new Tibet Intergroup and be an active member
  • Engage members of the Chinese National People’s Congress (NPC) in regular discussion of Tibetan issues as part of the EP/NPC parliamentary exchange initiatives
  • Follow-up on previously passed European Parliament resolutions and launch or support urgency resolutions on Tibet when appropriate
  • Support the organization of regular hearings and debates on Tibet in relevant Committees (AFET, DROI…)
  • Work with EU officials to develop a common, holistic and effective strategy to pressure Beijing into dialogue with the Dalai Lama or his representatives
  • Establish regular contacts on Tibet with members of Parliaments of EU Member States
  • Call for a strategic, coherent and united EU policy on Tibet
  • Continue urging the EU to demand unhindered access to Tibet for its citizens (including parliamentarians, diplomats and journalists) in reciprocity of the free and open access to the entire territories of the EU Member States that Chinese officials, journalists, diplomats and travelers enjoy, and push for the adoption of a European version of the US Reciprocal Access to Tibet Act
  • Push of the adoption of a European Parliament resolution recognizing the right of Tibetan Buddhists Communities to select, educate and install their religious leaders, such as preeminent Tibetan Buddhist Lamas like the Dalai Lama, without government interference
  • Push for a review of the EU-China human rights dialogue in order to make it more effective
  • Support programs that address the chronic needs of the Tibetan people (like education, work force development, environmental protection, and sustainable development)
  • Meet with Tibetan officials and Tibetan NGOs and visit members of the Tibetan institutions in exile in Dharamshala, India
  • Participate to European and World Parliamentary meetings on Tibet