Cuba applauds EU ratification of Political Dialogue and Cooperation Agreement

(VNF) - Cuba on Tuesday (Dec. 6^th) welcomed a decision by the European Union (EU) to ratify the Political Dialogue and Cooperation Agreement (PDCA) between Brussels and Cuba, Cuban Deputy Foreign Minister Abelardo Moreno said.

For Cuba it was important to completely abolish any remnant of the past that runs counter to the foundations of equality, reciprocity, and respect on which Cuba has developed its relationship with Brussels since 2008.

Cuban Deputy Foreign Minister Abelardo Moreno. (Photo: Granma)

Mr. Moreno said the decision paves the way for the official signing of the agreement, benefits bilateral relations, boosts political dialogue, and broadens economic and trade cooperation between Brussels and Havana.

The EU and Cuba established diplomatic relations in 1988. Since 1996 the EU relations with Cuba were governed by the Common Position, but have deepened significantly since the re-launch of political dialogue and cooperation in 2008.

The repeal of the Common Position and the upcoming signature of the PDCA between the EU and Cuba will mark an important new phase of bilateral relations.

All 28 EU Member States maintain bilateral diplomatic relations with Cuba. An EU representation office was opened in Havana in 2003, and upgraded into a fully-fledged Delegation in 2008.

Negotiations for the Agreement were launched in April 2014 and concluded on March 11^th, 2016, with the initialing of the text. The Council on December 6^th decided to sign the Agreement, with the signing ceremony foreseen for December 12^th. The Agreement will be provisionally applied after internal legal procedures are completed. In parallel, the agreement will be submitted to the European Parliament, EU Member States national parliaments and the Cuban National Assembly for ratification.

The PDCA creates an enabling framework for enhanced political dialogue, for improved bilateral cooperation as well as for developing joint action in multilateral fora. It defines general principles and objectives for the relationship between the EU and Cuba.

The PDCA will further contribute to enhancing EU-Cuba relations, supporting Cuba's economic and social modernisation, fostering sustainable development, promoting democracy and human rights, and finding common solutions to global challenges.

It reflects the expansion and strengthening of EU-Cuba relations, building on the important progress made since the relaunch of political dialogue and cooperation in 2008.

It offers a framework for promoting European values and interests and accompanying the ongoing process of change in Cuba./.

( Compiled by VNF )