Despite opposition from the Czech Republic, Germany, the UK and several other Northern European countries, the Council of EU Foreign Ministers, gathered in Brussels for the European Council (19-20 June), decided to scrap the sanctions.
The liberalisation process carried out by Raul Castro in recent months is behind the decision taken by the EU. Those in favour of relaxing the sanctions argue that Cubans are now free to buy CDs or mobile phones and to go to beaches previously reserved for foreign tourists.
But others point out that the actual effects of the new measures on the population remain to be seen. If mobile phones continue to cost several times the average monthly salary of an engineer or a doctor, changes will remain cosmetic.
However, with the Czechs leading a hard line against the Cuban regime and other EU nations eager to ensure Czech backing of the EU's Lisbon Treaty (see EurActiv's Links Dossier), a number of "political conditions" have been introduced to the actual lifting of the sanctions. The Cuban authorities are asked to free all political prisoners – unofficially estimated at around 200, although no international organisation is allowed to visit Cuban prisons (not even the Red Cross).
Moreover, ministers called the Cuban authorities to involve the opposition in any "high-level meeting" occurring on the island. But so far, while Castro's regime has been very good at promising to reduce human rights violations, it has been less effective in delivering actual changes.
The last review of the EU Common Position on Cuba in June 2007 already revealed signs of a softening of the EU line. Cuban authorities were kindly asked to visit Brussels for official meetings. Cuba reacted by saying it was not interested. EU Development Aid Commissioner Louis Michel subsequently paid a visit to Cuba in March 2008.
European economic interests on the island, especially in the sectors of tourism and telecoms (where Spain and Italy currently have significant stakes in the market), are expected to benefit from the renewed diplomatic links, as well as from potential China-style reforms expected from Raul Castro.
