Own-initiative report (INI): Parliament’s own position on a topic. It is not binding. Own-initiative report First reading
Recommendation for the Council, the Commission and the Vice-President of the Commission / High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy on EU-China political relations
Parliament sets out its own position on a topic. The resolution is not binding but signals what Parliament wants.
Where it stands: Parliament adopted the text on 7 October 2026. This is its final position on the matter.
- ✓ Referred to committee 19 June 2025
- ✓ Committee work Report adopted 10 September 2026
- ✓ Tabled for plenary 16 September 2026
- ✓ Plenary vote Adopted 7 October 2026
- ✓ Parliament’s position Final
How a file moves through Parliament
A file is referred to one lead committee (others may give an opinion). Its rapporteur writes a draft report, committee members table amendments, and the committee votes to adopt the report. The report is then tabled for all MEPs; political groups can table further amendments, which are voted on before the final vote in plenary. The adopted resolution is Parliament’s final position; it is not itself law.
Who is working on it
- Lead committee
- AFET — Foreign Affairs
- Rapporteur
- Hilde VAUTMANS Renew
- Shadow rapporteurs
- Nicolás PASCUAL DE LA PARTE PPELucia ANNUNZIATA S&DHermann TERTSCH PfESebastian TYNKKYNEN ECRVille NIINISTÖ Verts/ALEDanilo DELLA VALLE The Left
The rapporteur drafts and negotiates the text for the lead committee; each other political group names a shadow rapporteur to follow the file.
The text, version by version
Adopted by Parliament · latest Adopted text TA10-0334/2026 7 October 2026 ✦ Parliament's recommendation to the Council, the Commission and the EU foreign policy chief sets out how the EU should handle relations with China. It asks for principled engagement, economic de-risking, action against Chinese support for Russia's war in Ukraine, and firm defence of human rights, Taiwan and the rules-based order.⇄ what changed Tabled for plenary Report A10-0237/2026 16 September 2026 ✦ Parliament recommends that the Council, the Commission and the Vice-President / High Representative pursue a unified, principled EU policy towards China, combining dialogue with firm defence of EU interests and values.⇄ what changed Committee draft Draft report (AFET) 22 October 2025 ✦ A draft report by the Committee on Foreign Affairs proposes a European Parliament recommendation to the Council, the Commission and the EU foreign policy chief on EU-China relations.
Latest Tabled for plenary → Adopted by Parliament: Parliament adds recitals and sub-paragraphs on China's support for Russia's war, including ammunition production in Belarus and training of Russian personnel, and on China's military cooperation with Russia and Belarus. It adds a recital on expectations for China's engagement and on Confucius Institutes, and changes the focus of the EU-China strategic partnership to values, interests and security. It moves the recital on the EU's trade deficit with China, extends the list of like-minded partners and replaces a sub-paragraph on investment screening with one on customs duties and controls on small parcels and online platforms. The other changes are formal: decimal separators are updated and sub-paragraph lettering is changed. see the changes →
Newest version first. Open a version to read it in full. “What changed” shows the differences paragraph by paragraph; ✦ lines are AI-written from the texts themselves.
Timeline
- Plenary stage
- 7 October 2026 Plenary voteAdopted Adopted by a large majorityFor 454 Against 86 Abstained 110
Final vote — text as a whole at 13:28 · 70% of votes cast in favour · every MEP’s position →
Show all 78 ballots in voting order
1. Amendment 12 to paragraph 1, after point a 13:17 A10-0237/2026 – Hilde Vautmans – § 1, after point a – Am 12Rejected2. Amendment 60 to paragraph 1, after point a 13:17 A10-0237/2026 – Hilde Vautmans – § 1, after point a – Am 60Rejected3. Separate vote on paragraph 1, after point bRejectedA vote by raised hands. Only the outcome is recorded, not who voted how. — no individual positions recordedRejected5. Separate vote on paragraph 1, after point cRejectedA vote by raised hands. Only the outcome is recorded, not who voted how. — no individual positions recorded6. Separate vote on paragraph 1, point eRejectedA vote by raised hands. Only the outcome is recorded, not who voted how. — no individual positions recordedAdopted8. Amendment 27 to paragraph 1, after point h 13:17 A10-0237/2026 – Hilde Vautmans – § 1, after point h – Am 27Rejected9. Separate vote on paragraph 1, point iRejectedA vote by raised hands. Only the outcome is recorded, not who voted how. — no individual positions recorded10. Amendment 64 to paragraph 1, after point i 13:18 A10-0237/2026 – Hilde Vautmans – § 1, after point i – Am 64Rejected11. Separate vote on paragraph 1, point jRejectedA vote by raised hands. Only the outcome is recorded, not who voted how. — no individual positions recorded12. Separate vote on paragraph 1, after point jRejectedA vote by raised hands. Only the outcome is recorded, not who voted how. — no individual positions recorded13. Separate vote on paragraph 1, after point jRejectedA vote by raised hands. Only the outcome is recorded, not who voted how. — no individual positions recorded14. Amendment 29 to paragraph 1, after point j 13:18 A10-0237/2026 – Hilde Vautmans – § 1, after point j – Am 29Adopted15. Amendment 32 to paragraph 1, point k 13:18 A10-0237/2026 – Hilde Vautmans – § 1, point k – Am 32Rejected16. Amendment 33 to paragraph 1, after point k 13:18 A10-0237/2026 – Hilde Vautmans – § 1, after point k – Am 33Rejected17. Amendment 66 to paragraph 1, after point k 13:18 A10-0237/2026 – Hilde Vautmans – § 1, after point k – Am 66Rejected18. Amendment 16 to paragraph 1, point l 13:19 A10-0237/2026 – Hilde Vautmans – § 1, point l – Am 16RejectedAdopted20. Amendment 67 to paragraph 1, after point o 13:19 A10-0237/2026 – Hilde Vautmans – § 1, after point o – Am 67Rejected21. Separate vote on paragraph 1, point pRejectedA vote by raised hands. Only the outcome is recorded, not who voted how. — no individual positions recorded22. Separate vote on paragraph 1, point qRejectedA vote by raised hands. Only the outcome is recorded, not who voted how. — no individual positions recorded23. Amendment 34 to paragraph 1, point v 13:19 A10-0237/2026 – Hilde Vautmans – § 1, point v – Am 34Rejected24. Separate vote on paragraph 1, point vRejectedA vote by raised hands. Only the outcome is recorded, not who voted how. — no individual positions recorded25. Separate vote on paragraph 1, after point vRejectedA vote by raised hands. Only the outcome is recorded, not who voted how. — no individual positions recorded26. Separate vote on paragraph 1, point xAdoptedelectronic vote (totals only) — no individual positions recorded27. Amendment 69 to paragraph 1, after point y 13:20 A10-0237/2026 – Hilde Vautmans – § 1, after point y – Am 69RejectedAdopted29. Amendment 20 to paragraph 1, point ab 13:22 A10-0237/2026 – Hilde Vautmans – § 1, point ab – Am 20Rejected30. Amendment 30 to paragraph 1, after point ab 13:22 A10-0237/2026 – Hilde Vautmans – § 1, after point ab – Am 30Adopted31. Amendment 21 to paragraph 1, point ac 13:22 A10-0237/2026 – Hilde Vautmans – § 1, point ac – Am 21SRejected32. Amendment 35 to paragraph 1, point ai 13:22 A10-0237/2026 – Hilde Vautmans – § 1, point ai – Am 35Rejected33. Amendment 3 to paragraph 1, point am 13:22 A10-0237/2026 – Hilde Vautmans – § 1, point am – Am 3Adopted34. Amendment 24 to paragraph 1, after point am 13:22 A10-0237/2026 – Hilde Vautmans – § 1, after point am – Am 24Adopted35. Amendment 4 to paragraph 1, point ao 13:23 A10-0237/2026 – Hilde Vautmans – § 1, point ao – Am 4Adopted36. Amendment 42 to paragraph 1, after point ao 13:23 A10-0237/2026 – Hilde Vautmans – § 1, after point ao – Am 42Adopted37. Amendment 43 to paragraph 1, after point ao 13:23 A10-0237/2026 – Hilde Vautmans – § 1, after point ao – Am 43Adopted38. Separate vote on paragraph 1, after point aoAdoptedA vote by raised hands. Only the outcome is recorded, not who voted how. — no individual positions recorded39. Amendment 31 to paragraph 1, after point aq 13:23 A10-0237/2026 – Hilde Vautmans – § 1, after point aq – Am 31Adopted40. Separate vote on paragraph 1, point auAdoptedA vote by raised hands. Only the outcome is recorded, not who voted how. — no individual positions recordedAdoptedAdopted43. Separate vote on paragraph 1, point avRejectedelectronic vote (totals only) — no individual positions recorded44. Amendment 22 to paragraph 1, after point aw 13:24 A10-0237/2026 – Hilde Vautmans – § 1, after point aw – Am 22Rejected45. Separate vote on paragraph 1, point ayAdoptedA vote by raised hands. Only the outcome is recorded, not who voted how. — no individual positions recorded46. Separate vote on paragraph 1, point ayRejectedA vote by raised hands. Only the outcome is recorded, not who voted how. — no individual positions recorded47. Amendment 23, adding text after paragraph 2 13:24 A10-0237/2026 – Hilde Vautmans – after § 2 – Am 23RejectedRejected49. Separate vote on recital ARejectedA vote by raised hands. Only the outcome is recorded, not who voted how. — no individual positions recorded50. Amendment 48, adding text after recital A 13:25 A10-0237/2026 – Hilde Vautmans – after recital A – Am 48Rejected51. Vote on text inserted after recital ARejectedA vote by raised hands. Only the outcome is recorded, not who voted how. — no individual positions recorded52. Separate vote on recital FRejectedA vote by raised hands. Only the outcome is recorded, not who voted how. — no individual positions recorded53. Separate vote on recital FAdoptedA vote by raised hands. Only the outcome is recorded, not who voted how. — no individual positions recordedAdopted55. Amendment 5, adding text after recital F 13:25 A10-0237/2026 – Hilde Vautmans – after recital F – Am 5Rejected56. Vote on text inserted after recital FAdoptedelectronic vote (totals only) — no individual positions recorded57. Amendment 51, adding text after recital G 13:26 A10-0237/2026 – Hilde Vautmans – after recital G – Am 51Rejected58. Separate vote on recital HRejectedA vote by raised hands. Only the outcome is recorded, not who voted how. — no individual positions recordedAdopted60. Vote on text inserted after recital HRejectedA vote by raised hands. Only the outcome is recorded, not who voted how. — no individual positions recordedRejected62. Amendment 9, adding text after recital L 13:26 A10-0237/2026 – Hilde Vautmans – after recital L – Am 9Rejected63. Amendment 52, adding text after recital L 13:27 A10-0237/2026 – Hilde Vautmans – after recital L – Am 52Rejected64. Vote on text inserted after recital LRejectedA vote by raised hands. Only the outcome is recorded, not who voted how. — no individual positions recorded65. Separate vote on recital MRejectedA vote by raised hands. Only the outcome is recorded, not who voted how. — no individual positions recorded66. Separate vote on recital MRejectedA vote by raised hands. Only the outcome is recorded, not who voted how. — no individual positions recorded67. Amendment 55, adding text after recital N 13:27 A10-0237/2026 – Hilde Vautmans – after recital N – Am 55Rejected68. Amendment 56, adding text after recital N 13:27 A10-0237/2026 – Hilde Vautmans – after recital N – Am 56Rejected69. Separate vote on recital PAdoptedA vote by raised hands. Only the outcome is recorded, not who voted how. — no individual positions recorded70. Vote on text inserted after recital PRejectedA vote by raised hands. Only the outcome is recorded, not who voted how. — no individual positions recorded71. Separate vote on recital QRejectedA vote by raised hands. Only the outcome is recorded, not who voted how. — no individual positions recorded72. Vote on text inserted after recital QRejectedA vote by raised hands. Only the outcome is recorded, not who voted how. — no individual positions recorded73. Vote on text inserted after recital RRejectedA vote by raised hands. Only the outcome is recorded, not who voted how. — no individual positions recorded74. Vote on text inserted after recital URejectedA vote by raised hands. Only the outcome is recorded, not who voted how. — no individual positions recorded75. Separate vote on recital ADAdoptedA vote by raised hands. Only the outcome is recorded, not who voted how. — no individual positions recorded76. Separate vote on recital AOAdoptedA vote by raised hands. Only the outcome is recorded, not who voted how. — no individual positions recordedAdopted78. Final vote — text as a whole 13:28 A10-0237/2026 – Hilde Vautmans – Motion for a resolution (as a whole)Adopted - 6 October 2026 Debated in plenary
MEPs debated the text in the chamber ahead of the vote.
- 29 September – 30 September 2026 70 amendments tabled for the plenary vote
Groups propose changes to the tabled text; each is voted on before the final vote.
- 16 September 2026 Report tabled for plenary
This is the text all MEPs vote on. Political groups can still table amendments to it.
- Committee stage
- 10 September 2026 Committee vote: report adopted
AFET (Foreign Affairs) voted on the amendments and adopted the report that goes to plenary.
- 24 November 2025 Amendments tabled in committee (2 batches)
Members of AFET (Foreign Affairs) proposed changes to the draft.
- 22 October 2025 Draft report published
The rapporteur’s first text in AFET (Foreign Affairs). Members can table amendments before the committee votes.
- 19 June 2025 Referred to the AFET (Foreign Affairs) committee
The lead committee prepares Parliament’s report.