London, December 8, 2022- The United Kingdom confirmed this week that the "continued US embargo against Cuba is counterproductive," which is why the country consistently votes in favor of the annual United Nations General Assembly resolution calling for it to be lifted.
During a debate in the House of Lords on technical amendments to the UK order entitled "Extraterritorial US Legislation. Protection of Trading Interests", Viscount Younger de Leckie added: "The UK continues to consider the activation of Titles III and IV of the Helms-Burton Act, which strengthen and continued the embargo against Cuba, to be contrary to international law. We have made our position very clear on that and regularly engage US officials on this issue through our embassy in Washington, as well as with the US embassies in Havana and London".
Order 3171 of 1996 is part of a broader legal package that establishes the regime for the protection of the trading interests of the United Kingdom against sanctions from third countries with extraterritorial effects. It also includes the Protection of Trading Interests Act 1980. The amendments recently debated are due to technical changes in the wording since London left the European Union.