29-10-2025 EU Explanation of Vote on the US embargo against Cuba

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Explanation of Vote on behalf of a group of EU member states – UN General Assembly: Embargo imposed by the United States of America against Cuba

Wednesday 22 October 2025

Permanent Representative, Ambassador Christina Markus Lassen

Word count: 1,069

Thank you, Madam President,

I have the honour to speak on behalf of the following European Union Member States: Austria, Belgium, Croatia, Cyprus, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain and Sweden.

President,

 As in previous occasions, I reiterate today our conviction that the economic, commercial, and financial embargo imposed by the United States on Cuba has a damaging impact on the economic situation of the country and negatively affects the living standards of the Cuban people. We should not forget that external trade and foreign investment, which are de facto undermined by the embargo, can play a crucial role in setting the country on a path towards modernisation, reforms and sustainable growth, and help the population overcome the economic hardship it endures. The embargo continues to restrict Cuba’s ability to import essential commodities for its economy and population including, among others, pharmaceuticals, medical devices and other medical supplies. We consider that lifting the embargo could make economic reforms more effective and facilitate the opening of the Cuban economy to the benefit of the Cuban people. 

We remain concerned about the human rights situation in Cuba, in particular following the events of July 2021, about the severe judgments issued by Cuban Courts so far, and about the respect of civil and political rights. We therefore reiterate our call on the Cuban Government to fully grant its citizens internationally recognised civil, political and economic rights and freedoms - including freedom of assembly, freedom of expression and demonstration, and free access to information - to release all political prisoners and those arbitrarily detained, to ratify the UN Covenant for Civil and Political Rights and the Covenant for Economic, Social, and Cultural Rights, and to extend a standing invitation to all UN Special Procedures to visit Cuba.

We strongly emphasize the importance of upholding the UN Charter and respecting the sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity of all UN members and urge Cuba to stand in full solidarity with these fundamental principles and work together for their defence. All states have a duty to prevent and not to facilitate violations of international law. In light of reports regarding the alleged participation of Cuban nationals in Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine, we strongly urge Cuba to take all necessary and effective measures to prevent its nationals from joining Russian military forces involved in this war. We call for full accountability for war crimes and the most serious crimes committed in connection with Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine. We deplore the exploitation of the economic difficulties of people in developing countries to lure them into participating in a war of aggression, in violation of the UN Charter.

We further believe that empowering civil society is essential for the promotion and protection of all human rights, and call upon the Cuban Government to open spaces for a constructive and inclusive dialogue, without preconditions, with the whole spectrum of civil society actors on the island.

We consider that positive change in Cuba is best brought about by closer engagement at all levels – government, economy, civil society, but also through people-to-people exchanges. We therefore welcome any measures towards this end, including those aimed at easing restrictions on family remittances and travel to the island, and at ensuring the availability of full consular services. The designation of Cuba as a state sponsor of terrorism (SST) and its maintenance on the US list until today has led to additional obstacles to international financial transactions with the island. We call thus for its removal.

Beyond the damaging impact of the embargo and the SST listing on ordinary Cubans, US sanctions and other administrative and judicial measures are also negatively affecting EU economic interests.

We have firmly and continuously opposed any such measures, due to their extraterritorial application and impact on the European Union, in violation of commonly accepted rules of international trade. We cannot accept that such measures impede our economic and commercial relations with Cuba.

We strongly reject the US activation of Title III and IV of the Helms-Burton Act in April 2019. This breaches the commitments made by the US in the US-EU agreements of 1997 and 1998. We intend to draw on all appropriate measures to address the effects of the Helms-Burton Act, including in relation to our WTO rights and through the use of the EU Blocking Statute and other possible relevant measures, to protect EU citizens, businesses and NGOs operating in Cuba or with Cuba against the extra-territorial application of those US sanctions.

Madam President,

International cooperation, frank and sustained dialogue and closer –even critical- engagement are the way to go with Cuba. The provisional application of the EU-Cuba Political Dialogue and Cooperation Agreement (PDCA) is now in its eighth year.

We are enhancing dialogue and cooperation also on issues on which we have fundamental differences. To this end, the PDCA includes, amongst other, a human rights dialogue, which is a key pillar of our relationship.

In order to overcome the current economic and social crisis, we call on Cuba to ensure that its reform agenda includes the necessary economic, judicial and social reforms and is implemented in a manner that addresses the key concerns of the Cuban population and meets the legitimate democratic aspirations of the Cuban people for more opportunities to participate in the shaping of the country's future.

With the EU-Cuba Political Dialogue and Cooperation Agreement, the EU offers Cuba a consistent and reliable instrument to support a progressive reform of its political and economic model, to pursue sustainable development, and to find common solutions to global challenges, while continuing to advocate for democracy and respect for human rights in the interest of all Cuban citizens.

It is our view that the US embargo and connected measures do not contribute to promoting these aims. Against this background, we voted in favour of the draft resolution.