The European Union’s external relations commissioner says the EU has agreed to lift sanctions on Cuba.

Benita Ferrero-Waldner told reporters Thursday that EU leaders feel they have to cooperate with changes in Cuba after Raul Castro took over as the head of the country’s government from his ailing brother Fidel.

The measures were imposed five years ago and suspended in 2005.

Some EU nations _ including the Czech Republic and Sweden _ have been reluctant to lift the diplomatic sanctions during the two-day summit in Belgium, saying they wanted to see Cuba improve human rights first. And Washington, which imposed a trade blockade of Cuba nearly 50 years ago, has no immediate plans to lift it.