EU member states gave to the Commission the mandate to negotiate co-operation agreement
by Emiliano Biaggio
The European Council gave green light to start negotiations for a Political dialogue and Co-operation agreement with Cuba, after the twenty eight ministers of Foreign affair voted in favour of the proposal made last April by the European Commission. During the Foreign affairs council meeting held last week in Brussels, all the EU member expressed their opinion for boosting bilateral ties opening a new chapter in the mutual relationship. The European Union began to have regular contacts with Cuba in 2008, but always in the more general context of the EU-Celac dialogue. No direct bilateral ties exist between the two subjects, and the decision could sign an historical moment for the Caribbean country, still under embargo. Despite the economic restriction Cuba has strategic commercial and financial flows: the EU is Cuba's biggest external investor, and Cuba's second most important trading partner (accounting for 20% of total Cuban trade), after Venezuela (27%) and China (15%). Again, the European Union is the second biggest source of Cuban imports (20%) and the third most important destination for Cuban exports (21%). About tourism, approximately one third of all tourists visiting the island every year come from the EU. Now the European Commission has the mandate to open an in-depth relation with Raul Castro's regime, ending the contradictions marking the common external policy. One one hand, in fact, the European Union has not a general policy toward the Cuban affairs and on the other hand the single member states have bilateral ties with Havana. Finally the EU will can have a more coherent and a more harmonized policy, recognising the same status already granted to other countries around the world such as Myanmar. If everything will be ok an EU-Cuba Political dialogue and Co-operation agreement will be in place in up to two years, but Cuban authorities will remain "under control". «This is not a policy change from the past», pointed out the High Representative of the Union for foreign affairs and security policy, Catherine Ashton. «Just as we want to support reform and modernisation in Cuba, we have consistently raised human rights concerns which will remain at the core of this relationship». So, she added, «I hope Cuba will do what is necessary on its side, especially on the question of human rights». The pace of our negotiations «will reflect this». Raul Castro has been warned.
SEE ALSO
EU Country Strategy Paper/National Indicative Programme for Cuba
The European Council gave green light to start negotiations for a Political dialogue and Co-operation agreement with Cuba, after the twenty eight ministers of Foreign affair voted in favour of the proposal made last April by the European Commission. During the Foreign affairs council meeting held last week in Brussels, all the EU member expressed their opinion for boosting bilateral ties opening a new chapter in the mutual relationship. The European Union began to have regular contacts with Cuba in 2008, but always in the more general context of the EU-Celac dialogue. No direct bilateral ties exist between the two subjects, and the decision could sign an historical moment for the Caribbean country, still under embargo. Despite the economic restriction Cuba has strategic commercial and financial flows: the EU is Cuba's biggest external investor, and Cuba's second most important trading partner (accounting for 20% of total Cuban trade), after Venezuela (27%) and China (15%). Again, the European Union is the second biggest source of Cuban imports (20%) and the third most important destination for Cuban exports (21%). About tourism, approximately one third of all tourists visiting the island every year come from the EU. Now the European Commission has the mandate to open an in-depth relation with Raul Castro's regime, ending the contradictions marking the common external policy. One one hand, in fact, the European Union has not a general policy toward the Cuban affairs and on the other hand the single member states have bilateral ties with Havana. Finally the EU will can have a more coherent and a more harmonized policy, recognising the same status already granted to other countries around the world such as Myanmar. If everything will be ok an EU-Cuba Political dialogue and Co-operation agreement will be in place in up to two years, but Cuban authorities will remain "under control". «This is not a policy change from the past», pointed out the High Representative of the Union for foreign affairs and security policy, Catherine Ashton. «Just as we want to support reform and modernisation in Cuba, we have consistently raised human rights concerns which will remain at the core of this relationship». So, she added, «I hope Cuba will do what is necessary on its side, especially on the question of human rights». The pace of our negotiations «will reflect this». Raul Castro has been warned.
SEE ALSO
EU Country Strategy Paper/National Indicative Programme for Cuba
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