EU to shield its companies in Cuba via WTO, blocking U.S. sanctions: statement

[TaiShang]

EU to shield its companies in Cuba via WTO, blocking U.S. sanctions: statement

Updated 17:14, 02-May-2019
CGTN

The European Union could take the United States to the World Trade Organization or use retaliatory sanctions to protect its companies in Cuba after President Donald Trump lifted a ban on U.S. citizens filing lawsuits against investors there.

"The EU considers the extra-territorial application of unilateral restrictive measures to be contrary to international law and will draw on all appropriate measures," the EU's foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini said in a statement.

Mogherini said those steps could include a World Trade Organization case on the issue or using a "Blocking Statute" that allows EU companies sued in the United States to recover any damages from U.S. claimants in EU courts.

Mogherini said the EU would also seek support from other countries, although she did not name them. European, as well as Canadian companies, have invested in Cuba's tourism and energy sectors and Trump's decision is likely to further strain ties.

The Trump administration last month lifted a long-standing ban against U.S. citizens filing lawsuits against foreign companies that use properties seized by Cuba's Communist government since Fidel Castro's 1959 revolution.

The major policy shift, which the State Department said could draw hundreds of thousands of legal claims worth tens of billions of dollars, is intended to intensify pressure on Havana at a time Washington is demanding an end to Cuban support for Venezuela's socialist president, Nicolas Maduro.

https://news.cgtn.com/news/3d3d514e7849444e34457a6333566d54/index.html

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EU has a stronger backbone than Japan. Japan is dangerously dogged by the US.

@Chinese-Dragon

 

[Chinese-Dragon]

EU has a stronger backbone than Japan. Japan is dangerously dogged by the US.

Interesting how the EU said no to the USA, the UK said no to the USA, even Turkey said no to the USA.

But India, South Korea and Japan seem to be the ones always falling in line whenever the USA issues a command, all of these have decided to cut their Iranian oil imports to zero. I really hope that changes one day, they need to have a backbone and take care of their own interests first, not American interests first.

 

[TaiShang]

Interesting how the EU said no to the USA, the UK said no to the USA, even Turkey said no to the USA.

But India, South Korea and Japan seem to be the ones always falling in line whenever the USA issues a command, all of these have decided to cut their Iranian oil imports to zero. I really hope that changes one day, they need to have a backbone and take care of their own interests first, not American interests first.

I think strong regionalization and institutions give the EU an edge. In East Asia, we do not have such a strong institution. The strongest we have is ASEAN+3, but, it is still basically a talk-shop.

Nevertheless, I see more promising future for Korean leadership than Japanese leadership in terms of growing a stronger spine. Japan's state spine is simply made of soft plastic. If Korea further slips under economically, it may come back to East Asia more strongly, ditching the US rapist army from the country in the long run.