Crisis and EU foreign policy / Policy Brief
Cuba and Europe: beyond the Common Position
18/11/2010 By Susanne Gratius
Catherine Ashton obtained a mandate to present, before the end of the year, an EU strategy on future relations with Cuba. Four different positions within the EU can be distinguished, reflecting the difficulty of reconciling differing interests and visions of 30 separate actors. The debate on 25 October revealed a gradual loss of Spain’s traditional influence in EU policy towards Cuba. Behind the European vision of a peaceful change from above are the well known transition models in Eastern Europe, Russia, Latin America, Spain and Vietnam.
Cuba has already started a process of economic transformation and has become a more pluralistic society. Thus, the EU's approach of promoting change from within seems correct but lacks appropriate external incentives and overall coherence. Why does the EU maintain normal cooperation with Vietnam, apply restrictive measures against the regime of Myanmar and pursue a different policy towards Cuba? If the EU wishes to replicate its Vietnam approach in relations with Cuba, the Union should replace the democratic conditionality of the do-ut-des with a political dialogue on human rights and a cooperation agreement.
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Keywords
Cuba EU EU Foreign Policy European Union Latin America & CaribbeanRelated publications
- Common goals, different strategies? options for a transatlantic agenda on Cuba
- Forum Spain-Cuba: Spanish Policy and the future of Cuba
Bio author: Susanne Gratius
Latin America. Emerging powers. Brazil. Cuba. Venezuela. EU-Latin American relations.
