EN E-003247/2020 Answer given by High Representative/Vice-President Borrell on behalf of the European Commission (24.7.2020) The EU has repeatedly raised its strong concerns about restrictions on freedom of religion or belief and on the rights of minorities in Tibet, both in EU-China bilateral meetings and publicly, including in multilateral fora.1 The EU has focused, in particular, on the conditions of prisoners, the rights of people belonging to minorities, freedom of religion or belief and the lack of reciprocal access to the region. It has done so, both in the framework of the EU-China Human Rights Dialogue, as well as, most recently, during the Strategic Dialogue between High Representative/Vice President Borrell and Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, held on 9 June 2020, as well as during the EU-China summit on 22 June 2020. The European External Action Service remains committed to following developments related to Tibet and to continuing to express its expectation that the rights of the Tibetans should be respected. Nepal and China signed a Treaty on Mutual Legal Assistance in Criminal Matters as well as an Agreement on Boundary Management System during the visit of the Chinese President to Kathmandu in October 2019. No agreement on an extradition treaty was signed during this visit, but both countries agreed to strengthen cooperation and information exchange among law enforcement agencies. The European External Action Service is following closely developments in this area, as well as the application of the agreements concluded between China and Nepal, also considering the possible implications for the Tibetan community resident in Nepal. 1 https://eeas.europa.eu/delegations/un-geneva/75884/hrc43-item-4-human-rights-situations-require-councils- attention-eu-statement_en