The Cuban economy’s transformation and the EU–Cuba Political Dialogue and Cooperation Agreement (PDCA)

The Political Dialogue and Cooperation Agreement (PDCA) signed between the Republic of Cuba and the European Union in 2016 “aims to consolidate and strengthen links between the parties in the areas of political dialogue, cooperation and trade, on the basis of mutual respect, reciprocity, common interest and respect for their sovereignty” and derogated the European Union’s Common Position from 1996. The EU’s proposal for cooperation with Cuba, as set out in the PDCA’s objectives, involves “the process of updating the economy and society in Cuba by providing a comprehensive framework for dialogue and cooperation”. This cooperation framework focusses on the multilateral aspects of trade and Cuba’s international projection, with particular emphasis on modernising its economy. The prospects for European cooperation are examined by considering the tensions in the process of modernisation in the Cuban economy that may be produced by both internal and external factors.