WRITTEN QUESTION No. 3458/96 by Carlos CARNERO GONZÁLEZ , Laura GONZÁLEZ ÁLVAREZ , Alonso PUERTA to the Commission. EU-Cuban relations
Date: 1996-12-09
Institutions: CARNERO GONZALEZ, European Parliament, GONZALEZ ALVAREZ, PUERTA
Subjects: Cuba, EU aid, common position, human rights, humanitarian aid, international relations, non-governmental organisation













EUR-Lex - 91996E3458 - EN






Avis juridique important




|



91996E3458

WRITTEN QUESTION No. 3458/96 by Carlos CARNERO GONZÁLEZ , Laura GONZÁLEZ ÁLVAREZ , Alonso PUERTA to the Commission. EU-Cuban relations  


Official Journal C 105 , 03/04/1997 P. 0077 





WRITTEN QUESTION E-3458/96 by Carlos Carnero González (GUE/NGL), Laura González Álvarez (GUE/NGL) and Alonso Puerta (GUE/NGL) to the Commission (9 December 1996)Subject: EU-Cuban relationsIs the Commission aware of the Spanish Government's new position on EU-Cuban relations?What kind of relations does the Commission currently have with Cuba?What programmes with Cuba is the Commission currently engaged on, whether with government bodies or with NGOs?Is the Commission going to modify its EU-Cuban relations, and in what way?Answer given by Mr Marín on behalf of the Commission (10 January 1997)The common position on relations between the Community and Cuba adopted by the Council on 2 December 1996 lays down the guidelines for the Member States' and the Commission's future relations with Cuba. It follows and is consistent with the Community's previous positions, in particular those adopted at the Madrid and Florence European Councils. The common position maintains a balance between vigilance on human rights, and support for streamlining the economy and modernizing society. From a broader standpoint, the common position's strength lies in its reassertion of the distinctive European approach to Cuba: it reiterates the refusal to achieve progress in Cuba by adopting coercive economic measures that bear harshly on the population.Regarding cooperation with Cuba, since 1993 the Commission has organized up a humanitarian aid programme, projects aimed at food self-sufficiency, and a number of specific economic cooperation projects tailored for the Cuban situation and aimed at supporting certain reforms. The bulk of Community aid is channelled through European Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs), and the Cuban authorities have undertaken to ensure that these NGOs maintain ownership and control of the products distributed until their delivery to the final consignees.The economic cooperation projects are intended to have an incentive effect, with different but complementary objectives: to support reforms and consolidate civil society, and reinforce economic links with the European partners. For instance, for a number of years now, the Commission has financed a European stand at the two main Cuban trade fairs, held in Havana and Santiago. This year, close to 100 entrepreneurs from 13 Member States attended the Community stand during the international trade fair in Havana, from 3 to 10 November 1996.The general logic of cooperation activities with Cuba already corresponds to the spirit of the common position adopted by the Council on 2 December 1996. The Commission accordingly intends to pursue its cooperation on the same terms and using the same methods it always has, which are fully consistent with the common position adopted.