Friday

29th Mar 2024

Exclusive

MEPs' Cuba trip foiled by US embargo

  • European Parliament's in-house travel agency is paid a monthly management fee of €157,082, according to 2018 budget report (Photo: Frans Persoon)
Listen to article

The European Parliament's in-house travel agency, CWT Global, is a US owned-company and therefore will not be able to book MEP flights to Cuba - because of the American embargo against Havana.

"This clearly raises the question of how the European Parliament could have chosen an agency, which is restricted in its activities by foreign legislation," said Tilly Metz, a Green MEP from Luxembourg, in a recent letter sent to European Parliament president David Sassoli.

Read and decide

Join EUobserver today

Get the EU news that really matters

Instant access to all articles — and 20 years of archives. 14-day free trial.

... or subscribe as a group

  • Metz's letter sent to David Sassoli (Photo: EUobserver)

The letter comes ahead of a European Parliament resolution on Cuba this week, and amid a wider discussion on EU strategic autonomy on the global stage.

Metz chairs the European Parliament's delegation to Central America (DCAM), which had over the summer requested a September mission to Cuba.

But CWT then refused to book the flights, citing US sanctions, says Metz.

The letter came as leaders of the parliament's political groups, known as the Conference of Presidents, approved the delegation's mission to Cuba.

The issue came to light after the delegation's secretariat had asked CWT to provide quotes for flights to Cuba.

"To our surprise however, the travel agency could not provide a quote because, as a US-owned company, it has to respect the US embargo against Cuba," said Metz, in her letter.

She says the US embargo also apply to other countries like Iran - tossing a possible spanner into other future MEP visits. Metz said CWT had to instead outsource the flights to another agency, leading to delays.

CWT Global itself has yet to respond for a comment.

It won a travel agency tender for both the European Parliament and the European Ombudsman.

A 2018 European Parliament budget report says the firm is paid a monthly management fee of €157,082 and employed 37 staff.

The delegation was also hoping to go Nicaragua. But both countries declined their requests for various reasons.

MEPs from the liberal Renew Europe, centre-right EPP and conservative ECR, have been hawkish on Cuba.

The groups tabled a joint resolution in June, condemning Havana's treatment of political prisoners and artists.

They also jumped on allegations over the summer that a Spanish socialist MEP had cosy ties with the Cuban regime.

Their resolution came as the United Nations general assembly demanded the US end the embargo against Cuba for the 29th consecutive year.

For its part, the EU opposes the US blockade of Cuba but also condemned Havana's crackdown against July protests.

DCAM's vice-chairs are German centre-right MEP Jens Gieseke and Spanish liberal Javier Nart. 

Both are said to be unhappy about the US sanctions on the travel agency and had agreed to have DCAM send the letter to Sassoli.

EU urges Cuba to let people protest

The Cuban government should listen to its people's grievances instead of reacting with a crackdown on the biggest demonstrations there in 30 years.

EU welcomes thaw in US-Cuba relations

The European Union has welcomed the agreement between US and Cuba to re-establish diplomatic relations, a move which matches with its own approach to Cuba.

Opinion

As EU visits Havana, five truths about human rights in Cuba

On Wednesday, EU special representative for human rights, will arrive in a country in turmoil. Eamon Gilmore's visit risks legitimising the Cuban regime if he does not take a firm public stance on the human rights situation.

US and EU breaking taboos to restrain Israel

The US abstained and all EU states on the UN Security Council backed a call for an "immediate ceasefire" in Gaza, as Europe prepares to also blacklist extremist Israeli settlers.

Opinion

Why UK-EU defence and security deal may be difficult

Rather than assuming a pro-European Labour government in London will automatically open doors in Brussels, the Labour party needs to consider what it may be able to offer to incentivise EU leaders to factor the UK into their defence thinking.

Latest News

  1. Kenyan traders react angrily to proposed EU clothes ban
  2. Lawyer suing Frontex takes aim at 'antagonistic' judges
  3. Orban's Fidesz faces low-polling jitters ahead of EU election
  4. German bank freezes account of Jewish peace group
  5. EU Modernisation Fund: an open door for fossil gas in Romania
  6. 'Swiftly dial back' interest rates, ECB told
  7. Moscow's terror attack, security and Gaza
  8. Why UK-EU defence and security deal may be difficult

Stakeholders' Highlights

  1. Nordic Council of MinistersJoin the Nordic Food Systems Takeover at COP28
  2. Nordic Council of MinistersHow women and men are affected differently by climate policy
  3. Nordic Council of MinistersArtist Jessie Kleemann at Nordic pavilion during UN climate summit COP28
  4. Nordic Council of MinistersCOP28: Gathering Nordic and global experts to put food and health on the agenda
  5. Friedrich Naumann FoundationPoems of Liberty – Call for Submission “Human Rights in Inhume War”: 250€ honorary fee for selected poems
  6. World BankWorld Bank report: How to create a future where the rewards of technology benefit all levels of society?

Join EUobserver

EU news that matters

Join us