In this opinion piece signed by 34 Members of the European Parliament, the authors call on the European Union to take a stronger stance in support of Tibetan religious freedom and against Chinese government interference in the succession of the Dalai Lama.

They highlight the Dalai Lama’s commitment to non-violence, dialogue, and the Middle Way Approach seeking genuine autonomy for Tibet within China, and argue that Beijing’s policies of assimilation, including the boarding school system and attempts to control the reincarnation process, threaten Tibetan identity and culture.

The MEPs call on the EU and its Member States to issue a joint statement affirming that the selection of Tibetan Buddhist leaders must take place without state interference and according to religious traditions, and to consider sanctions under the EU Global Human Rights Sanctions Regime against Chinese officials involved in such interference. They also urge China to resume meaningful dialogue with representatives of the Dalai Lama, based on the 2008 Memorandum on Genuine Autonomy, arguing that dialogue remains the only sustainable path towards peace and stability in Tibet.

List of signatories: Vytenis ANDRIUKAITIS (Lithuania, S&D) Petras AUŠTREVIČIUS (Lithuania, Renew Europe) Saskia BRICMONT (Belgium, Greens/EFA) Per CLAUSEN (Denmark, GUE/NGL) João COTRIM DE FIGUEIREDO (Portugal, Renew Europe) Sebastian EVERDING (Germany, GUE/NGL) Michael GAHLER (Germany, EPP) Hanna GEDIN (Sweden, GUE/NGL) Markéta GREGOROVÁ (Czechia, Greens/EFA) Hannes HEIDE (Austria, S&D) Rasa JUKNEVIČIENĖ (Lithuania, EPP) Ondřej KOLÁŘ (Czechia, EPP) Andrey KOVATCHEV (Bulgaria, EPP) Miriam LEXMANN (Slovakia, EPP) Reinhold LOPATKA (Austria, EPP) Erik MARQUARDT (Germany, Greens/EFA) Sara MATTHIEU (Belgium, Greens/EFA) Liudas MAŽYLIS (Lithuania, EPP) Verena MERTENS (Germany, EPP) Luděk NIEDERMAYER (Czechia, EPP) Rasmus NORDQVIST (Denmark, Greens/EFA) Danuše NERUDOVÁ (Czechia, EPP) Maria OHISALO (Finland, Greens/EFA) Leoluca ORLANDO (Italy, Greens/EFA) Urmas PAET (Estonia, Renew) Kira Marie PETER-HANSEN (Denmark, Greens/EFA) Chloé RIDEL (France, S&D) Majdouline SBAÏ (France, Greens/EFA) Jonas SJÖSTEDT (Sweden, GUE/NGL) Villy SØVNDAL (Denmark, Greens/EFA) Bruno TOBBACK (Belgium, S&D) Dainius ŽALIMAS (Lithuania, Renew Europe) and chair of the EU Parliament Tibet Friendship Group Tomáš ZDECHOVSKÝ (Czech Republic, EPP) Milan ZVER (Slovenia, EPP)