September 14: European parliamentarians have said the Burmese government’s decision to forgo the Asean chairmanship next year is not enough to change the EU’s firm stance on Rangoon.

Ulf Hausbrandt, political officer, Delegation of the European Commission, said the fact that the military junta has decided not to take up its scheduled chairmanship next year doesn’t change the problems that persist in Burma.

The EU remains firm in its position to have all of Burma’s ethnic groups and political parties included in an open and fair democratic process, he said.

Members of the EU Parliament Delegation for Relations with the countries of Southeast Asian and Asean are visiting Thailand to meet with European chambers of commerce, Thai politicians and representatives of the Thai business sector on political development and bilateral relations between the EU and Asean.

Veronique Mathieu, an EU MP from France and vice chairman of the visiting delegation, said the EU has two concerns.

First, the military junta’s undemocratic rule. Second, the suffering of the Burmese people under the regime, which has prompted the EU to extend humanitarian aid to the country.

Political issues aside, the EU representatives also discussed with their Thai counterparts the EU’s Generalised System of Preferences (GSP) tax concessions on Thai exports to the bloc.

The European Commission decided to temporarily reinstate GSP concessions on Thai shrimp exports earlier this month. A new system of GSP concessions, which will also include automobiles and jewellery, will be implemented from January next year.

Steve Needham, EU information officer, said the new GSP programme would benefit Thailand as it would be more stable. The programme will be up for revision in three years, depending on export volume.

He said the new concessions would enable more Thai exports to the EU at low tariff rates, while Chinese exporters may see some of their GSP benefits diminish under the new programme.