§ Lord Kennetasked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether they consider the following boycotts desirable: (1) the Arab boycott of Israel, (2) the US boycott of Cuba, (3) the US boycott of Iran; and in each case what steps if any they are taking, either within the European Union or unilaterally, to have these boycotts discontinued.
§ Baroness Chalker of WallaseyWe have always been opposed to the Arab boycott of Israel, and strongly encourage British firms not to allow it to interfere with their trade with Israel.
We do not support the US boycott of Cuba and have passed legislation which counteracts any extra-territorial provisions in the US legislation. We continue to lobby against extra-territorial elements in proposed US legislation to tighten the boycott.
It is not the EU's policy to isolate Iran, and we do not regard a trade embargo to be an appropriate measure. The US government is aware of our position.