WRITTEN QUESTION No. 3079/97 by Jesús CABEZÓN ALONSO to the Commission. Dialogue with Cuba
Date: 1997-10-02
Institutions: CABEZON ALONSO, European Parliament
Subjects: Cuba, cooperation agreement, fundamental rights, human rights, humanitarian aid, the EU's international role

C 117/148

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

16. 4. 98

Moreover, the Commission does not oppose an additional charge levied for the four main alpine passes of the
network if it is justified in economic and environmental terms. The Commission is therefore negotiating in full
accordance with the principles of the green paper (cid:145)Towards fair and efficient pricing in transport(cid:146) (1). However,
the charging should not be at levels which would maintain the existing volume of traffic diversion and neither
should they be at levels which effectively prohibit road transport across Switzerland.

The Commission considers that, in appropriate circumstances, rolling road strategies ((cid:145)lorries on train(cid:146)) are a
useful  means  of  freight  movement.  It  is  however  actively  promoting  other  forms  of  combined  transport,
including those in which containers on railway wagons are used for the main rail leg and road transport is used
for the initial and/or final transport leg.

The  rolling  road  strategy  relates  to  a  specific  market  and  is  particularly  suitable  for  small  road  haulage
companies, new entrants and for crossing geographical barriers. The present and possible future agreements with
Switzerland refer to combined transport in the widest sense. In the short and medium term, however, (cid:145)rolling
road(cid:146) will be a necessary complement to a (cid:145)freight on train(cid:146) system.

No specific analysis has been undertaken of the ways in which a (cid:145)pure freight on train strategy(cid:146) would produce
modal shift in freight since such a singular approach to achieving greater transport sustainability is not envisaged
by anyone.

(1)  Doc. COM(95) 691 final.

(98/C 117/198)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3079/97

by Jesu· s Cabezo·n Alonso (PSE) to the Commission

(2 October 1997)

Subject: Dialogue with Cuba

With regard to the political and economic situation in Cuba, does the Commission feel it can now propose that
the  dialogue  with  the  Cuban  authorities  be  stepped  up  with  a  view  to  gaining  a  mandate  to  explore  the
possibilities of concluding an EU-Cuba cooperation agreement?

Answer given by Mr Mar(cid:14)·n on behalf of the Commission

(22 October 1997)

The  Union’s  Common  Prositon  on  Cuba  adopted  by  the  Council  on  2  December  1996 (1)  and  renewed  on
26 June 1997,  and  the  Presidency  report  on  the  implementation  of  the  Position  approved  at  the  same  time,
expressly provide for dialogue with the Cuban authorities and all sections of Cuban society to be stepped up, and
for the continuation of humanitarian aid and economic cooperation intended to support the reforms.

Both texts, however, make the granting of (cid:145)full(cid:146) cooperation › of the same order as is accorded to other Latin
American countries under cooperation agreements › contingent on real progress with respect for human rights
and fundamental freedoms.

The fact is that no such progress has been observed in recent months: we are actually seeing a hardening of
Cuban policy, notably in the attitude towards dissidents, and a slow-down in the reform process.

In  view  of  these  developments  it  does  not  seem  that  the  conditions  for  requesting  a  mandate  to  conclude  a
possible cooperation agreement between the Union and Cuba are fulfilled at present.

(1)  OJ L 322, 12.12.1996.