EU agrees to lift sanctions on Cuba

The European Union on Thursday agreed to lift its diplomatic sanctions against Cuba, but imposed tough conditions on the island country to maintain sanction-free relations, officials said.

The US, which has maintained a decades-long trade embargo against Cuba, criticized the move.

EU External Relations Commissioner Benita Ferrero-Waldner said the bloc felt it had to encourage changes in Cuba after Raul Castro took over as the head of the country's government from his ailing brother Fidel.