The EU and Cuba opened a new chapter in their mutual relations yesterday (1 November) when the provisional application of their first ever agreement – the Political Dialogue and Cooperation Agreement (PDCA) – entered into force.
Brussels commented that it was a day when the EU was getting closer to Cuba and all Cuban citizens as their country are going through economic, political and social modernization. “We Europeans are tied to Cuba, Latin America and the Caribbean by a shared history, culture, values, and aspirations for the present and the future,” head of EU diplomacy, Federica Mogherini, said.
The PDCA comprises three main chapters on political dialogue, cooperation and sector policy dialogue as well as trade cooperation but it also promotes dialogue on multiple areas such as development, democracy and human rights. Activities will be conducted with all actors in Cuba, including public sector, local authorities, civil society institutions, the private sector, as well as international organizations and their agencies.
The PDCA is a result of intensive diplomatic efforts between the European Union and Cuba during the past two years. High-level political dialogue was launched in 2008 in parallel with EU cooperation. Since then, both sides have discussed mutual cooperation, regional issues, global matters and defined potential areas of cooperation. The EU and Cuba also aim to strengthen the United Nations as the core of the multilateral international system, and to promote the strategic partnership between the European Union and the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC).
