Valentina Palmisano, on behalf of The Left Group, has submitted a parliamentary question to the European Commission urging it to protect EU individuals and companies from the extraterritorial reach of new US coercive measures against Cuba. The question, filed on 25 June 2026, targets Executive Orders 14380 and 14404 signed by President Trump on 29 January and 1 May 2026 respectively, which Palmisano says strengthen the US blockade to an unprecedented degree and impose severe penalties on EU entities seeking to defend their legitimate interests.
The MEP frames the US measures as a violation of the UN Charter and international law, and calls on the Commission to specify what steps it will take to defend affected EU parties under Council Regulation (EC) No 2271/96, the EU's blocking statute that nullifies extraterritorial foreign laws. The question also asks how the Commission intends to ensure effective implementation of any countermeasures, given the risk of US reprisals.
Palmisano's question reflects a longstanding cleavage between EU sovereignty and US extraterritorial jurisdiction, with the EU seeking to shield its businesses from secondary sanctions. The blocking statute, in force since 1996, prohibits EU entities from complying with specified US sanctions and allows them to recover damages. However, its enforcement has been uneven, and the new US measures could test its credibility.
The Commission is expected to reply within six weeks; its answer will signal whether it plans to update the blocking statute, issue new guidance, or engage diplomatically with Washington. The question impacts EU companies with Cuban ties, EU sovereignty in foreign policy, US-EU relations, and the Cuban economy.