Answer given by High Representative/Vice-President Borrell on behalf of the European Commission

11.5.2021

The objectives of EU engagement with Cuba under the Political Dialogue and Cooperation Agreement[1] are to encourage political and economic reforms, promote democracy and human rights, and improve the lives of the Cuban people. All instruments available to the EU — political dialogue, but also cooperation — are used to this end. This said, as anywhere in the world, it would be difficult to attribute any specific development in Cuba directly to a specific EU action.

Both the EU Delegation and EU services in headquarters have had a multitude of meetings with all sectors of Cuban (and also European) civil society. This includes meetings with Sakharov prize winners and other dissident groups, human rights defenders, and independent journalists and artists. Over twenty such meetings have taken place in preparation for the last (26 February 2021) Human Rights Dialogue alone.

The EU expects Cuba to respect its citizens’ fundamental freedoms and human dignity, and is regularly raising cases of concern, such as the ones mentioned by the Honourable Members, with the Cuban authorities, both within the context of the dedicated Dialogue on Human Rights established under the Agreement, and in other ways.

• [1] See full text at: https://data.consilium.europa.eu/doc/document/ST-12504-2016-INIT/en/pdf