WRITTEN QUESTION E-0109/02 by Theresa Villiers (PPE-DE) to the Council. Euro and ERM II.
Date: 2002-01-29
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: United Kingdom, euro area, exchange-rate mechanism, fluctuation margin, non-participating country (euro area)

26.9.2002

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 229 E/55

2. Will the Commission state its position vis-à-vis this matter, what representations have been made,
and with what success?

3. Will the Commission also indicate whether any EU Member State applies similar laws concerning
property in third countries that now prohibit the entry of any US citizens?

Answer given by Mr Patten on behalf of the Commission

(26 February 2002)

Title IV of the ‘United States Cuban Liberty and Democratic Solidarity (Libertad) Act of 1996’, also known
as the ‘Helms-Burton Act’, empowers the United States Secretary of State to deny entry into the United
States to non-American nationals who, following the Cuban revolution in 1959, confiscated American
property on Cuba or trafficked in confiscated American property on Cuba. This applies equally,
irrespective of nationality, to key executives and shareholders of companies involved in such activities as
well as families of such persons.

the ‘Helms-Burton Act’,

Since the adoption of
the European Union has continuously opposed this
unilateral and extraterritorial US law. On 11 April 1997 and 18 May 1998, two understandings were
reached with the United States Administration regarding the common efforts to promote democracy in
Cuba and to develop agreed disciplines for the strengthening of investment protection. In particular, the
United States Administration declared its willingness to continue to consult with the United States
Congress with a view to obtaining a waiver authority for Title IV.

These consultations have not yet led to a suspension of Title IV. However, the Commission is not aware of
any action taken against Union nationals under Title IV since the agreements were reached in 1997 and
1998. As far as the Commission knows, only one Union national is subject to Title IV sanctions which,
however, predate the understandings. It should nevertheless be noted that the Commission can only be
aware of cases of which it has been informed, notably in the case of Union nationals working for non
Union companies.

The Commission continues systematically to raise this matter with the United States in the framework of
its bilateral contacts under the Union-United States New Transatlantic Agenda expressing its opposition to
any unilateral and extraterritorial sanction law, such as the Helms-Burton Act, and its concerns about the
lack of a waiver authority for Title IV of the Act.

Finally, the Commission is not aware of any measure applied by Member States similar to the Helms-
Burton Act.

(2002/C 229 E/059)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0109/02

by Theresa Villiers (PPE-DE) to the Council

(29 January 2002)

Subject: Euro and ERM II

If the UK were to decide to join the euro, would it have to participate in ERM II? If so, for what length of
time would it have to be a member of ERM II?

Reply

(25 June 2002)

The Council invites the Honourable Member to refer to the reply to question 3180/00, which she had
asked on the same subject in 2000.