EU Agrees to Lift Cuba Sanctions

The news from Brussels, Belgium is that the European Union's external relations commissioner says the EU has agreed to lift sanctions on Cuba. The 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. Some EU nations have been reluctant to lift the diplomatic sanctions. They say they want to see Cuba improve human rights first. Washington, which imposed a trade blockade in Cuba nearly 50 years ago, has no immediate plans to lift it. Some indications seem to show that Raul is worse than Fidel. Only time will tell.

EU Blue Card to Target Skilled

The European Commission has unveiled a Blue Card for skilled immigrants, based on the US Green Card. The plan would allow suitably qualified people and their families to live and work within the European Union. The EU says it needs 20m skilled workers over the next two decades and is very short of expertise in engineering and computer technology. The scheme, which is more restrictive than the US Green Card, would need the approval of all 27 Eu member states.

EU Eyes New Priorities After Deal

European Union leaders say the bloc should turn to new priorities such as globalization now that they have agreed on a treaty to reform Eu institutions. UK Prime Minister Gordon Brown said there would be a declaration of new priorities to come before the December Council of Eu leaders. The reform treaty was agreed in Lisbon early on Friday, after much wrangling. The agreement, called the Lisbon Treaty, was sealed after objections from Italy and Poland had been overcome.