A3-0243/93

Resolution on the embargo against Cuba and the Torricelli Act

The European Parliament,

-having regard to the motions for resolutions by Mrs Piermont and others on the provisions of the United States Defence Authorization Bill (HR 5006 - the Torricelli Bill) on trade with third countries (B3-1643/92) and by Mr Melandri on the economic embargo against Cuba (B3-1651/92),

-having regard to its resolutions of 15 February 1990, 12 July 1990, 13 September 1990, 22 February 1991, 11 July 1991, 13 February 1992, 17 December 1992 and 11 March 1993 on human rights violations in Cuba,

-having regard to its resolution of 17 December 1992 on the restrictions on international trade imposed by the United States (Cuban Democracy Act) which described the Torricelli Act as 'incompatible with the principles of the EEC-USA Transatlantic Declaration' and 'a flagrant violation of international law on free trade and freedom of transit',

-having regard to its resolution of 22 April 1993 on emergency EC aid for the population of Cuba following a violent storm,

-having regard to the report of the Committee on External Economic Relations (A3-0243/93),

A.whereas the promotion of and respect for human, civil and political rights are basic elements in relations between states; whereas such elements are fundamental to the renewal or initiation of bilateral or multilateral economic and trade relations between states; whereas it is to be hoped that the political leaders of Cuba will take steps to ensure that all violations of human rights cease,

B.whereas decisive action must be taken in Cuba towards a political, economic and institutional democratization process; whereas the European Parliament has always declared itself willing to help step up political and economic cooperation with Cuba once it starts to take such action,

C.whereas the United States has been applying a total economic, trade and financial embargo on the Republic of Cuba since 1962,

D.whereas the break-up of the USSR has resulted in the total economic collapse of Cuba given that, up until 1989, 85% of its foreign trade was with the former COMECON countries,

E.whereas, last year, the US Congress adopted the Torricelli Act to tighten up the economic embargo against Cuba with the aim of preventing firms outside the United States' jurisdiction from trading with the island; whereas the EC and the Member States had asked President Bush to veto the Torricelli Act as it was based on the inadmissible principle of extra-territoriality and was contrary to the free exercise of the national sovereignty of states,

F.whereas the Torricelli Act, which is contrary to international law and is rejected by the international community, is having serious effects, as testified by the fact that many European firms have had to renounce profitable contracts with Cuba because of pressure from the United States,

G.whereas, although the international legal order allows individual states to take restrictive trade measures to defend their own national interests, it does not legitimize the imposition of such measures on third countries,

H.whereas the Latin American Parliament, together with other national parliaments, called on 2 August 1991 for the economic, trade and financial embargo against Cuba to be lifted; whereas this call was echoed by the UN General Assembly on 24 November 1992 with only Romania, Israel and the USA voting against,

I.whereas the economic, trade and financial embargo imposed by the United States is affecting the civilian population above all, depriving them of food, medicines and basic necessities,

J.whereas many EC Member States have normal relations with Cuba and have concluded profitable economic and trade agreements and joint venture agreements, including schemes in which the foreign companies exercise total control, as permitted by the new Cuban laws on foreign investment, and have signed bilateral agreements for the protection of foreign investments,

K.whereas Cuba is the only Caribbean and Latin American country with which the Community has not yet concluded trade or development cooperation agreements, despite the fact that there is no legislation at Community level which actively discriminates against Cuba,

L.whereas the Cuban Democratic Platform, a coalition of various political forces which have their equivalents in the European Parliament, has been making reasonable, moderate proposals for dialogue and rejecting any confrontation between Cubans other than through the ballot-box.

1.Calls on the US Administration and Congress to put an end to the economic, trade and financial embargo against Cuba, given the changes which have occurred in international relations and the break-up of the Soviet bloc;

2.Reiterates its strong condemnation of the Torricelli Act, which is contrary to international law and now appears to be an anachronism; calls on the US Congress to revoke the Act and hopes that no such legislation will be passed in future (since it is also contrary to the rules of GATT);

3.Calls on the Community and the Member States not to comply with the provisions of the Torricelli Act whose effects are nevertheless beginning to be felt; to this end, calls on the Commission to take the necessary legislative steps - following the example of Canada and the United Kingdom - to ensure that European companies and/or companies established in the Community can carry out normal trading activities with Cuba;

4.Calls on the Cuban Government to open a constructive dialogue with democratic groupings at home and abroad which are not identified with the Cuban political regime, in order to lead peacefully and within a reasonable period of time to an electoral process which is open to all parties and whose impartiality is fully guaranteed;

5.Calls on Cuba and the Community, inter alia on the basis of the processes of change under way on the island, to step up political, economic and cultural dialogue in order to encourage the type of democratic development of the Cuban regime which respects the human, civil and political rights of the people and the country's independence; expects the Cuban Government to show willingness, and put forward practical measures, to introduce a free, democratic constitutional system which allows freedom of expression and opposition and eliminates violations of human rights for good;

6.Believes that increased cooperation between the EC and Cuba and improved free trading relations will enhance the role of Cuban society; the Cuban Government must foster this process by establishing more dialogue in the country, which the Community can support by means of training programmes for businessmen and women aimed at opening up the Cuban economy;

7.Considers that it would be beneficial, in this connection, if the Republic of Cuba were included in the regional cooperation programme financed by the EC in the Caribbean and Latin American region;

8.Hopes that greater dialogue between the Community and Cuba may lead to the conclusion of a general economic and trade agreement at the earliest opportunity in order to give a boost to bilateral relations;

9.Reiterates its request, meanwhile, that the Council, the Commission and the Member States take rapid steps to increase humanitarian aid for the Cuban people through NGOs by means of health development programmes (particularly in view of the serious epidemic of optic neuritis) and rural development programmes designed to meet the vital needs of the population, whilst ensuring that an increasing number of NGOs can operate unhindered in Cuba;

10.Reiterates its request to the Commission, as set out in Parliament's abovementioned resolution of 22 April 1993, 'to help Cuba tackle the long-term consequences' of the violent storm 'by granting trade advantages (loans and preferential customs treatment) and by financial and technical cooperation';

11.Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Commission, the Council, the Member States, the National Assembly of the People's Republic of Cuba, the President of the Cuban Council of State, the UN Secretary-General, the Latin American Parliament, the President and Congress of the United States and the Liaison Committee of European NGOs.