RECOMMENDATION on the draft Council decision on the conclusion, on behalf of the Union, of the Political Dialogue and Cooperation Agreement between the European Union and its Member States, of the one part, and the Republic of Cuba, of the other part
22.6.2017 - (12502/2016 – C8‑0517/2016 – 2016/0298(NLE)) - ***
Committee on Foreign Affairs
Rapporteur: Elena Valenciano
DRAFT EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT LEGISLATIVE RESOLUTION
on the draft Council decision on the conclusion, on behalf of the Union, of the Political Dialogue and Cooperation Agreement between the European Union and its Member States, of the one part, and the Republic of Cuba, of the other part
(12502/2016 – C8‑0517/2016 – 2016/0298(NLE))
(Consent)
The European Parliament,
– having regard to the draft Council decision (12502/2016),
– having regard to the draft Political Dialogue and Cooperation Agreement between the European Union and its Member States, of the one part, and the Republic of Cuba, of the other part (12504/2016),
– having regard to the request for consent submitted by the Council in accordance with Articles 207 and 209 and Article 218(6), second subparagraph, point (a), and Article 218(8), second subparagraph, of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (C8‑0517/2016),
– having regard to its non-legislative resolution of ...[1] on the draft Council decision,
– having regard to Rule 99(1) and (4) and Rule 108(7) of its Rules of Procedure,
– having regard to the recommendation of the Committee on Foreign Affairs and the opinions of the Committee on Development and the Committee on International Trade (A8-0232/2017),
1. Gives its consent to conclusion of the agreement;
2. Instructs its President to forward its position to the Council, the Commission and the governments and parliaments of the Member States and of the Republic of Cuba.
- [1] Texts adopted of that date, P8_TA(0000)0000.
EXPLANATORY STATEMENT
Background
Relations between the European Union and the Republic of Cuba were governed by the EU's unilateral Common Position 96/697/CFSP of 2 December 1996. Article 4 of the Common Position provided for the possible negotiation of a cooperation agreement between the EU and Cuba.
The Council adopted negotiation directives in February 2014 authorising the Commission and the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy to open negotiations for a Political Dialogue and Cooperation Agreement (PDCA) between the European Union and its Member States, of the one part, and the Republic of Cuba, of the other part. Negotiations were launched in April 2014 and concluded on 11 March 2016.
The Common Position 96/697/CFSP was repealed by Council decision (CFSP) 2016/2233 of 6 December 2016.
The PDCA defines general principles and objectives for the relationship between the EU and Cuba and creates an institutional structure for the management of the agreement. It builds essentially on three main chapters, on political dialogue, cooperation and sector policy dialogue as well as trade and trade cooperation.
The Political dialogue chapter provides that the parties will engage in dialogue on issues such as human rights, small arms and disarmament, migration, drugs, fight against terrorism, and sustainable development.
The chapter on Cooperation and sector policy dialogue, inter alia, includes areas such as human rights, governance, justice, civil society, social and economic development, environment as well as regional cooperation, in each case specifying a detailed list of areas for cooperation.
The Trade and trade cooperation part deals with general principles of international trade and covers cooperation on customs, trade facilitation, technical norms and standards, sustainable trade and investment. The agreement does not include a chapter on trade preferences
The PDCA also establishes an institutional framework composed of a Joint Council and a Joint Committee and includes a provision on the fulfilment of obligations.
**
Rapporteur’s justification
This Political Dialogue and Cooperation Agreement, which the EU signed with Cuba in December 2016, is a highly sophisticated, necessary and appropriate instrument which will provide a framework for the relations that the EU and its Member States already maintain with the Republic of Cuba.
The actual shape, continuity and scale of these relations already went far beyond the limitations of our own 1996 ‘Common Position’ and the barriers imposed by the extraterritorial legislation with which the United States of America sought for years to obstruct Cuba’s economic autonomy. There was worldwide consensus on the need to lift these restrictions, particularly among the Latin American and Caribbean countries with which the EU maintains strong ties. In recent years the US itself has become part of this trend towards normalising relations with Cuba.
During this time, as many as 20 EU Member States have signed bilateral agreements with Cuba. In spite of its self-imposed restrictions, the EU as a whole has become Cuba’s main customer and main supplier.
The agreement represents a courageous commitment on both sides. As an international legal instrument, it offers a model for a new-generation agreement which sets out very clear political dialogue and human rights commitments. The values that the EU wishes to promote in the world are reflected more strongly here than in other instruments by which our relations are governed.
The results already achieved through the human rights dialogue since the start of the negotiations provide a guarantee and a reason for optimism regarding the benefits of this agreement.
We in the European Union should see this agreement as an expression of Cuba’s preference for the European Union as a partner. Cuba’s geographical location and geopolitical situation make it a strategically valuable country. This agreement sends a strong message of political presence to other global actors who are competing in the Caribbean and across the Latin American continent.
Through this agreement, the EU is pledging to accompany Cuba in its evolution while fully respecting its autonomy, sovereignty and independence. Cuba for its part is demonstrating its interest in having the EU as a reference, within a framework of full mutual respect.
The agreement will make it possible further to develop cooperation and Cuba’s participation in the EU’s specific programmes.
As regards trade and economic relations in general, the agreement will provide a stronger framework to match the scale that these relations have already reached.
This is the first bilateral political agreement that the EU and Cuba have signed. Parliament should be consistent, it should approve the agreement and give this relationship an opportunity to start to produce the results that we hope to achieve, in accordance with the rules that we are setting. As always, Parliament’s support should be critical and vigilant, applying the same demands and the same level of respect that we apply to our own Union and to other partners who have pledged to share the EU’s values and aspirations.
**
The rapporteur proposes that the Committee on Foreign Affairs recommends consent to this agreement.
OPINION of the Committee on Development (31.5.2017)
for the Committee on Foreign Affairs
on the draft Council decision on the conclusion, on behalf of the Union, of the Political Dialogue and Cooperation Agreement between the European Union and its Member States, of the one part, and the Republic of Cuba, of the other part
(12502/2016 – C8-0517/2016 – 2016/0298(NLE))
Rapporteur: Frank Engel
SHORT JUSTIFICATION
Negotiations on an EU-Cuba Political Dialogue and Cooperation Agreement were completed on 11 March 2016. This text represents the most structured engagement so far between the EU and Cuba and consists of three main chapters: political dialogue, cooperation and sector policy dialogue, and trade and trade cooperation.
The EU is Cuba’s main export partner and the biggest foreign investor, and accounts for a third of the foreign visitors. Cuba has been a member of the ACP group since 2000, despite not being a signatory of the Cotonou Agreement.
EU cooperation with Cuba is covered by the Development Cooperation Instrument (DCI). The Multiannual Indicative Programme for Cuba 2014-2020 allocates EUR 50 million for cooperation with Cuba in three priority sectors:
– sustainable agriculture and food security: 42%
At present, the food supply on the island is not sufficient to cover the needs of the population, much less those of the growing inflow of tourists. Tourism being the most relevant development factor, increasing food production on the island is critical.
– support for a better use of key natural resources for sustainable development: 36%
Investment in renewable energy generation is at stake here, and represents a priority axis of development both in EU and Cuban strategic plans.
– support for economic and social modernisation: 20%
The selected sectors respond to the national priorities identified in the ‘Cuban guidelines for economic and social policy’, a mid-term strategy approved in 2011 to promote reforms in the country.
Despite being an upper middle-income country, Cuba continues to be eligible for bilateral development cooperation until 2020 under an ‘exceptional clause’ in the DCI.
The proposed Agreement opens new avenues to support Cuba’s process of economic and social modernisation, to foster sustainable development, democracy and human rights, as well as to seek common solutions to global challenges. For these reasons, your rapporteur is of the view that Parliament should give its consent to the ratification of the Agreement.
******
The Committee on Development calls on the Committee on Foreign Affairs, as the committee responsible, to recommend that Parliament give its consent to the draft Council decision on the conclusion, on behalf of the Union, of the Political Dialogue and Cooperation Agreement between the European Union and its Member States, of the one part, and the Republic of Cuba, of the other part.
PROCEDURE – COMMITTEE ASKED FOR OPINION
|
Title |
Council Decision on the conclusion, on behalf of the Union, of the Political Dialogue and Cooperation Agreement between the European Union and its Member States, of the one part, and the Republic of Cuba, of the other part |
||||
|
References |
12502/2016 – C8-0517/2016 – JOIN(2016)0043 – 2016/0298(NLE) |
||||
|
Committee responsible
|
AFET
|
|
|
|
|
|
Opinion by Date announced in plenary |
DEVE 15.12.2016 |
||||
|
Rapporteur Date appointed |
Frank Engel 6.3.2017 |
||||
|
Discussed in committee |
25.4.2017 |
|
|
|
|
|
Date adopted |
30.5.2017 |
|
|
|
|
|
Result of final vote |
+: –: 0: |
21 0 0 |
|||
|
Members present for the final vote |
Beatriz Becerra Basterrechea, Ignazio Corrao, Doru-Claudian Frunzulică, Enrique Guerrero Salom, Maria Heubuch, Teresa Jiménez-Becerril Barrio, Stelios Kouloglou, Arne Lietz, Linda McAvan, Vincent Peillon, Lola Sánchez Caldentey, Elly Schlein, Eleni Theocharous, Paavo Väyrynen, Bogdan Brunon Wenta, Anna Záborská |
||||
|
Substitutes present for the final vote |
Agustín Díaz de Mera García Consuegra, Frank Engel, Ádám Kósa, Cécile Kashetu Kyenge, Judith Sargentini |
||||
FINAL VOTE BY ROLL CALL IN COMMITTEE ASKED FOR OPINION
|
21 |
+ |
|
|
ALDE |
Beatriz Becerra Basterrechea, Paavo Väyrynen |
|
|
ECR |
Eleni Theocharous |
|
|
EFDD |
Ignazio Corrao |
|
|
GUE/NGL |
Stelios Kouloglou, Lola Sánchez Caldentey |
|
|
PPE |
Agustín Díaz de Mera García Consuegra, Frank Engel, Teresa Jiménez-Becerril Barrio, Ádám Kósa, Bogdan Brunon Wenta, Anna Záborská |
|
|
S&D |
Doru-Claudian Frunzulică, Enrique Guerrero Salom, Cécile Kashetu Kyenge, Arne Lietz, Linda McAvan, Vincent Peillon, Elly Schlein |
|
|
Verts/ALE |
Maria Heubuch, Judith Sargentini |
|
|
0 |
- |
|
|
|
|
|
|
0 |
0 |
|
|
|
|
|
Key to symbols:
+ : for
- : against
0 : abstention
OPINION of the Committee on International Trade (31.5.2017)
for the Committee on Foreign Affairs
on the draft Council decision on the conclusion, on behalf of the Union, of the Political Dialogue and Cooperation Agreement between the European Union and its Member States, of the one part, and the Republic of Cuba, of the other part
(12502/2016 – C8‑0517/2016 – 2016/0298(NLE))
Rapporteur: Reimer Böge
******
The Committee on International Trade calls on the Committee on Foreign Affairs, as the committee responsible, to recommend that Parliament give its consent to the draft Council decision on the conclusion, on behalf of the Union, of the Political Dialogue and Cooperation Agreement between the European Union and its Member States, of the one part, and the Republic of Cuba, of the other part.
PROCEDURE – COMMITTEE ASKED FOR OPINION
|
Title |
Council decision on the conclusion, on behalf of the European Union, of the Political Dialogue and Cooperation Agreement between the European Union and its Member States, of the one part, and the Republic of Cuba, of the other |
||||
|
References |
12502/2016 – C8-0517/2016 – JOIN(2016)0043 – 2016/0298(NLE) |
||||
|
Committee responsible
|
AFET
|
|
|
|
|
|
Opinion by Date announced in plenary |
INTA 15.12.2016 |
||||
|
Rapporteur Date appointed |
Reimer Böge 9.11.2016 |
||||
|
Discussed in committee |
23.1.2017 |
3.5.2017 |
|
|
|
|
Date adopted |
30.5.2017 |
|
|
|
|
|
Result of final vote |
+: –: 0: |
32 0 2 |
|||
|
Members present for the final vote |
Tiziana Beghin, David Campbell Bannerman, Daniel Caspary, Santiago Fisas Ayxelà, Christofer Fjellner, Karoline Graswander-Hainz, Heidi Hautala, Yannick Jadot, Bernd Lange, David Martin, Emmanuel Maurel, Anne-Marie Mineur, Sorin Moisă, Franz Obermayr, Artis Pabriks, Franck Proust, Viviane Reding, Inmaculada Rodríguez-Piñero Fernández, Marietje Schaake, Helmut Scholz, Joachim Schuster, Joachim Starbatty, Adam Szejnfeld, Hannu Takkula |
||||
|
Substitutes present for the final vote |
Reimer Böge, Dita Charanzová, Edouard Ferrand, Agnes Jongerius, Sajjad Karim, Seán Kelly, Fernando Ruas, José Ignacio Salafranca Sánchez-Neyra, Ramon Tremosa i Balcells, Jarosław Wałęsa |
||||
FINAL VOTE BY ROLL CALL IN COMMITTEE ASKED FOR OPINION
|
32 |
+ |
|
|
ALDE |
Dita Charanzová, Hannu Takkula, Marietje Schaake, Ramon Tremosa i Balcells |
|
|
ECR |
David Campbell Bannerman, Joachim Starbatty, Sajjad Karim |
|
|
EFDD |
Tiziana Beghin |
|
|
GUE/NGL |
Anne-Marie Mineur, Helmut Scholz |
|
|
PPE |
Adam Szejnfeld, Artis Pabriks, Christofer Fjellner, Daniel Caspary, Fernando Ruas, Franck Proust, Jarosław Wałęsa, José Ignacio Salafranca Sánchez-Neyra, Reimer Böge, Santiago Fisas Ayxelà, Seán Kelly, Viviane Reding |
|
|
S&D |
Agnes Jongerius, Bernd Lange, David Martin, Emmanuel Maurel, Inmaculada Rodríguez-Piñero Fernández, Joachim Schuster, Karoline Graswander-Hainz, Sorin Moisă |
|
|
VERTS/ALE |
Heidi Hautala, Yannick Jadot |
|
|
0 |
- |
|
|
|
|
|
|
2 |
0 |
|
|
GUE/NGL |
Edouard Ferrand, Franz Obermayr |
|
Key to symbols:
+ : in favour
- : against
0 : abstention
PROCEDURE – COMMITTEE RESPONSIBLE
|
Title |
Council decision on the conclusion, on behalf of the European Union, of the Political Dialogue and Cooperation Agreement between the European Union and its Member States, of the one part, and the Republic of Cuba, of the other |
||||
|
References |
12502/2016 – C8-0517/2016 – JOIN(2016)0043 – 2016/0298(NLE) |
||||
|
Date of consultation / request for consent |
12.12.2016 |
|
|
|
|
|
Committee responsible Date announced in plenary |
AFET 15.12.2016 |
|
|
|
|
|
Committees asked for opinions Date announced in plenary |
DEVE 15.12.2016 |
INTA 15.12.2016 |
|
|
|
|
Rapporteurs Date appointed |
Elena Valenciano 1.2.2017 |
|
|
|
|
|
Discussed in committee |
29.5.2017 |
|
|
|
|
|
Date adopted |
20.6.2017 |
|
|
|
|
|
Result of final vote |
+: –: 0: |
57 9 2 |
|||
|
Members present for the final vote |
Lars Adaktusson, Michèle Alliot-Marie, Nikos Androulakis, Francisco Assis, Petras Auštrevičius, Bas Belder, Mario Borghezio, Victor Boştinaru, Elmar Brok, James Carver, Lorenzo Cesa, Arnaud Danjean, Georgios Epitideios, Knut Fleckenstein, Anna Elżbieta Fotyga, Eugen Freund, Iveta Grigule, Sandra Kalniete, Tunne Kelam, Janusz Korwin-Mikke, Andrey Kovatchev, Ilhan Kyuchyuk, Ryszard Antoni Legutko, Barbara Lochbihler, Sabine Lösing, Andrejs Mamikins, Ramona Nicole Mănescu, Alex Mayer, Tamás Meszerics, Francisco José Millán Mon, Clare Moody, Javier Nart, Demetris Papadakis, Ioan Mircea Paşcu, Tonino Picula, Kati Piri, Julia Pitera, Cristian Dan Preda, Jozo Radoš, Sofia Sakorafa, Jordi Solé, Jaromír Štětina, Dubravka Šuica, Charles Tannock, Miguel Urbán Crespo, Ivo Vajgl, Elena Valenciano, Geoffrey Van Orden, Anders Primdahl Vistisen |
||||
|
Substitutes present for the final vote |
Laima Liucija Andrikienė, Reinhard Bütikofer, Luis de Grandes Pascual, Neena Gill, María Teresa Giménez Barbat, Ana Gomes, Andrzej Grzyb, Takis Hadjigeorgiou, Marek Jurek, Patricia Lalonde, Javi López, José Ignacio Salafranca Sánchez-Neyra, Igor Šoltes, Renate Sommer, Ernest Urtasun, Marie-Christine Vergiat |
||||
|
Substitutes under Rule 200(2) present for the final vote |
Pál Csáky, Dietmar Köster, Costas Mavrides |
||||
|
Date tabled |
22.6.2017 |
||||
FINAL VOTE BY ROLL CALL IN COMMITTEE RESPONSIBLE
|
57 |
+ |
|
|
ALDE |
Petras Auštrevičius, María Teresa Giménez Barbat, Iveta Grigule, Ilhan Kyuchyuk, Patricia Lalonde, Javier Nart, Jozo Radoš, Ivo Vajgl |
|
|
ECR |
Bas Belder, Anna Elżbieta Fotyga, Ryszard Antoni Legutko, Charles Tannock, Geoffrey Van Orden, Anders Primdahl Vistisen |
|
|
GUE/NGL |
Takis Hadjigeorgiou, Sabine Lösing, Sofia Sakorafa, Miguel Urbán Crespo, Marie-Christine Vergiat |
|
|
PPE |
Michèle Alliot-Marie, Laima Liucija Andrikienė, Elmar Brok, Lorenzo Cesa, Arnaud Danjean, Andrzej Grzyb, Sandra Kalniete, Francisco José Millán Mon, Julia Pitera, José Ignacio Salafranca Sánchez-Neyra, Renate Sommer, Luis de Grandes Pascual, Jaromír Štětina, Dubravka Šuica |
|
|
S&D |
Nikos Androulakis, Francisco Assis, Victor Boştinaru, Knut Fleckenstein, Eugen Freund, Neena Gill, Ana Gomes, Dietmar Köster, Javi López, Andrejs Mamikins, Costas Mavrides, Alex Mayer, Clare Moody, Demetris Papadakis, Ioan Mircea Paşcu, Tonino Picula, Kati Piri, Elena Valenciano |
|
|
Verts/ALE |
Reinhard Bütikofer, Barbara Lochbihler, Tamás Meszerics, Jordi Solé, Ernest Urtasun, Igor Šoltes |
|
|
9 |
- |
|
|
ECR |
Marek Jurek |
|
|
EFDD |
James Carver |
|
|
ENF |
Mario Borghezio |
|
|
NI |
Georgios Epitideios, Janusz Korwin-Mikke |
|
|
PPE |
Lars Adaktusson, Pál Csáky, Tunne Kelam, Cristian Dan Preda |
|
|
2 |
0 |
|
|
PPE |
Andrey Kovatchev, Ramona Nicole Mănescu |
|
Key to symbols:
+ : in favour
- : against
0 : abstention