On Wednesday 5 July, MEPs approved by a large majority (567 votes in favour, 65 against and 31 abstentions) the conclusion of the first EU-Cuba association agreement. This is aimed at fostering bilateral trade and establishes a political dialogue including the issue of human rights (see EUROPE 11687).
"Cuba is no longer an exception in the relations between the EU and Latin America countries", Elena Valenciano (S&D, Spain) hailed. The signature of the cooperation agreement put an end to the 1996 common position of the Council which made the deepening of EU relations with Cuba conditional upon progress in the area of human rights.
During the plenary vote, MEPs expunged all direct mention of the US blockade on Cuba since 1962 in favour of an EPP Group amendment that was adopted narrowly (310 votes in favour, 301 against and 56 abstentions). Nevertheless, they opposed the laws and measures with an extra-territorial effect that harm the people of Cuba. The reference to the role of Cuba as a mediator in the peace negotiations in Colombia has also disappeared.
In addition, the European Parliament adopted (342 votes in favour, 254 against and 68 abstentions) an amendment from the ECR Group noting that politically motivated arbitrary detentions were on the upsurge. "The human rights situation in Cuba is not getting any better. The number of political prisoners has doubled since last year", Pavel Telička (ALDE, Czech Republic) stated.
This change to the text irritated the GUE/NGL Group, which voted for the approval of the cooperation agreement but against the non-legislative resolution accompanying it. While the original version of the text was "balanced", some groups tried to make a resolution on human rights from it and an instrument of pressure in favour of a neo-liberal transition in Cuba, Javier Couso Permuy (GUE/NGL, Spain) and Sofia Sakorafa (GUE/NGL, Greece) stated.
With the approval of the Parliament, the arrangements of European competence in the bilateral agreement will now be able to enter into force provisionally while awaiting ratification of the agreement by all member states.
During a debate the previous day, High Representative of the EU for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Federica Mogherini hailed the "strong signal" of Europeans' commitment to a cooperation "without taboos" with Latin America and the Caribbean, while in the USA there is a temptation to return to the past. She spoke of the constructive role that Cuba can play in resolving regional crises, especially in Venezuela. (Original version in French by Mathieu Bion)