Taiwan appreciates the assistance European countries have offered on many fronts and is ready to develop a stronger partnership with the European Union (EU) in the future, President Ma Ying-jeou said at the annual Europe Day dinner Friday evening. Ma lauded the integration of the EU as an inspiration for Taiwan and China and expressed gratitude for the EU's support, including 11 statements in 2009 alone that supported Taiwan's participation in international organizations. That support contributed to Taiwan's first appearance at the World Health Assembly (WHA) as an observer last year. He also thanked the EU for its assistance with the Typhoon Morakot relief effort last year. In an appeal for further cooperation, Ma said that Taiwan is ready to enter talks with the EU on trade enhancement measures (TEMs) after the signing of the economic cooperation framework agreement (ECFA) with China to establish a stronger economic partnership. He also expressed the hope that Taiwan would be granted visa-free privileges in the Schengen Area -- consisting of 25 European countries -- within this year to make it more convenient for Taiwanese travelers to visit Europe. Citing the example of the United Kingdom, Ma said the number of Taiwanese tourists traveling to the U.K. increased by 40 percent after the implementation of a visa-waver program. Over 600 guests attended the dinner, including Guy Ledoux, head of the European Economic and Trade Office (EETO) and Nicholas Winsor, chairman of the European Chambers of Commerce (ECCT) and many government officials, In his review of Taiwan-EU relations, Ledoux brought up the sensitive issue of the abolition of the death penalty, saying that the EU encouraged Taiwan to resume the de facto moratorium on the death penalty after it executed four inmates April 30, the first executions in Taiwan since 2005. Winsor praised Taiwan's government for steps taken to make the investment environment more attractive to foreign investors, in particular, for accepting the recommendation made in the ECCT's position papers for a number of years to lower the corporate income tax rate. The Europe Day dinner is held every year to celebrate the founding of the EU. The year's dinner also celebrated the 60th anniversary of the Schuman Declaration, which called upon European countries to pool their coal and steel production for mutual benefit. The declaration led to the creation of the European Coal and Steel Community (ECSC) and eventually to the establishment of the modern EU. 