MOFA promotes robust Taiwan-EU ties

2015-01-13

Increasing people-to-people exchanges facilitated by the inclusion of ROC passport holders in the Schengen Area visa-waiver program is testament to the robust development of Taiwan-EU ties, according to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Jan. 11.

Taking effect four years ago, the arrangement allows ROC nationals to visit 36 European countries and regions for up to 90 days without a visa. It covers 22 EU member states and non-EU members Iceland, Norway and Switzerland, as well as non-Schengen EU members Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus and Romania.

The program also applies to Andorra, Faroe Islands, Greenland, Liechtenstein, Monaco, San Marino and the Vatican, according to the MOFA.

“On the back of viable diplomacy proposed by President Ma Ying-jeou after he took office in May 2008, Taiwan has made considerable headway in expanding its international space while establishing strong bonds with the EU,” said Zhang Ming-zhong, director-general of MOFA’s Department of European Affairs.

“The youth working holiday programs Taiwan concluded with Austria, Belgium, Germany, Hungary, Ireland, Poland, Slovakia and the U.K. are also testament to the strength of the visa-free initiative.”

Governmental interaction has benefitted accordingly, Zhang added, citing around 50 cooperation agreements spanning customs, education, e-government, food safety, green energy, intellectual property, judicial affairs, medical care, nuclear security, and science and technology.

“For Taiwan, the EU is its fourth largest trading partner and largest source of foreign investment, with an accumulated total of more than US$32.6 billion,” he said. “Statistics from the Ministry of Economic Affairs show bilateral trade topped US$48 billion between 2011 and 2013, accounting for 9 percent of Taiwan’s total.”

The MOFA expects the scope of Taiwan-EU trade to expand going forward, Zhang said, buoyed by developments like the European Parliament October 2013 resolution calling on the European Commission to begin talks with Taiwan over an agreement on investment protection and economic cooperation.

“We have every reason to believe such progress will help pave the way toward achieving this goal, with no effort spared in creating more favorable conditions.”

Source: Taiwan Today (http://taiwantoday.tw/ct.asp?xItem=226129&CtNode=413)