Madrid Declaration of June 27, 1989 (English Text)
The embargo emerged before the formation of the European Union. It exists based on a single sentence in a policy document; because no authority existed to enforce it when it was issued, no European government can effectively use the embargo to prevent arms sales to China. The European Council subsequently adopted a code of conduct in 1998 that provides guidelines for arms exports from the EU generally.
The following text was retrieved from the Common Foreign Policy and Security Web site on February 28, 2006.Declaration of European Council, Madrid, 27.6.1989
"1. "The European Council, recalling the declaration of the Twelve of 6 June, strongly condemns the brutal repression taking place in China. It expresses its dismay at the pursuit of executions in spite of all the appeals of the international community. It solemnly requests the Chinese authorities to stop the executions and to put an end to the repressive actions against those who legitimately claim their democratic rights.The European Council requests the Chinese authorities to respect human rights and to take into account the hopes for freedom and democracy deeply felt by the population. It underlines that this is an essential element for the pursuit of the policy of reforms and openness that has been supported by the European Community and its Member States. (…)In the present circumstances, the European Council thinks it necessary to adopt the following measures: - raising the issue of human rights in China in the appropriate international fora; asking for the admittance of independent observers to attend the trials and to visit the prisons; - interruption by the Member States of the Community of military cooperation and an embargo on trade in arms with China; - suspension of bilateral ministerial and high-level contacts; - postponement by the Community and its Member States of new cooperation projects; - reduction of programmes of cultural, scientific and technical cooperation to only those activities that might maintain a meaning in the present circumstances;- prolongation by the Member States of visas to the Chinese students who wish it.Taking into account the climate of uncertainty created in the economic field by the present policy of the Chinese authorities, the European Council advocates the postponement of the examination of new requests for credit insurance and the postponement of the examination of new credits of the World Bank."