EU expert Cheng Chia-Ching says that the European Parliament is likely to approve a proposal to change the name of the EU office in Taiwan. Cheng serves as Executive Director of the European Union Centre in Taiwan.
In a recent session, the European Parliament’s Committee on Foreign Affairs approved an amendment that would change the name of the European Economic and Trade Office in Taipei to the EU Office in Taiwan. The full European Parliament is expected to decide on this and other amendments in October.
During an interview Friday, Cheng said that this is not the first time a name change for the office has been proposed. However, he said that the international situation and policies of EU member states have changed since the last time the idea to change the office’s name was brought up. Cheng said that the proposal is therefore likely to garner more support in the European Parliament this time around.
Cheng says he believes the proposal will pass, as the office is a symbol of EU sovereignty in Taiwan, and as individual European nations have similarly changed the names of their offices in Taipei to include the word “Taiwan”.