Exclusive | National security law: EU proposes cutting off Hong Kong’s access to goods used in surveillance and ‘internal repression’
- Draft European Union document seen by South China Morning Post proposes export controls on Hong Kong and reviews of migration, visas and asylum
- EU Council document less sweeping than US response, but condemns Hong Kong national security law as ‘a matter of grave concern’
The European Union is preparing to restrict the sale of products that could be used for “internal repression, the interception of internal communications or cyber-surveillance” to Hong Kong, in response to the sweeping and controversial national security law.
A draft document agreed to on Thursday by the European Union Council and seen by the South China Morning Post outlines a “coordinated package responding to the imposition” of the law, to be carried out by the EU or its member states. It is expected to be enacted before the end of July.
The council also questioned China’s willingness to uphold its international commitments and said the law casts a shadow over EU-China relations. However the document does not propose any direct action against Beijing or Chinese government officials.
Other proposed actions laid out in the draft plan include reviewing the implication of the national security law on asylum, migration, visas and residency; increasing coordination with Hong Kong students and universities; as well as discussing risks to EU citizens posed by the law; and reviewing its implications for European extradition treaties.
