Cuban government makes Havana Club plea to US

Cuban government makes Havana Club plea to US
By Keith Nuthall | 22 June 2015Font size Email Print

The Cuban government has called on the United States to allow the
Franco-Cuban Havana Club Holding to sell its product into America,
claiming that the import ban continues to breach World Trade
Organisation (WTO) rules.

Speaking at a meeting of the WTO's disputes settlement body, Cuban
diplomat ambassador Anayansi Rodríguez Camejo, Cuba permanent
representative to the United Nations office in Geneva, argued that the
restriction flouted a 2002 WTO ruling – the US supports the rights of
Bacardi to sell Havana Club-branded drinks in America.

The long-running dispute is one issue requiring resolution for the
recent US-Cuba rapprochement to deliver normal trading relations. But
WTO speech indicates that the Havana Club dispute is far from over.
"Cuba has made countless efforts…" demanding US concessions for the
Pernod Ricard joint venture, said the diplomat, but the import block
"remains intact and in force." Cuba could in theory apply for
authorisation to levy retaliatory duties on US imports, but given the
paucity of US-Cuba trade that is unlikely.

Source: Cuba makes Havana Club plea | Beverage Industry News |
just-drinks -
http://www.just-drinks.com/news/cuban-government-makes-havana-club-plea-to-us_id117306.aspx