No “Common Policy,” as Europe Grapples over its

Future ties with Cuba.

– Spain takes the lead in trying to adapt the EU to Cuba’s rapidly transforming role.

In January, Spain took over the presidency of the Council of the European Union. Despite being deeply affected by the global financial crisis, Spain confidently proclaimed ambitious objectives for its term at the head of the EU, including the cancellation of the EU’s “Common Position.” The latter defines the EU policy towards Cuba that has been in place since 1996. During his two-day visit to the Caribbean island last October, Spanish foreign minister Miguel Angel Moratinos stated that Spain wants “to give up the Common Position in order to obtain bilateral agreements.”

Undoubtedly the motivations behind Spain’s initiative are at least partially economic in nature. Moratinos explained that the Iberian nation has negotiated for Cuban authorities to pay their debts to Spanish companies. Cuba’s president Raúl Castro has promised to repeal the payment block of approximately $300 million due to the 280 Spanish companies currently operating in Cuba or have some other financial stake in the country. After strong opposition from Eastern European members, states such as the Czech Republic, Poland and Slovakia, Spain eventually withdrew its initiative allowing the EU to maintain the Common Position for the present time. In fact, such acquiescence has little or no significance for the actual Cuba policy that will be followed by individual European states, as national interests tend to outweigh supranational positions. Spain has always conducted its policy toward the Castro regime according to its primary concerns such as economic desiderata, its colonial legacy and cultural kinship. This is in stark contrast to the anti-Cuban stance of the Common Position. From the beginning, the latter was more a reflection of a prudent compromise between Eastern and Western Europe than an actual formula fixedly guiding national policy. The EU has struggled to achieve the numerous objectives obligated by adopting the Common Position.

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This analysis was prepared by COHA Research Associate Evgenij Haperskij

Friday, February 05, 2010 | Research Memorandum 10.1